Illinois Senate overrides Quinn’s prison cuts
The Associated Press November 28, 2012 1:52PM
Updated: December 30, 2012 3:45PM
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Senate has voted to restore money that Gov. Pat Quinn cut from the budget to force the closure of prisons, including Illinois Youth Center-Joliet, and other state facilities.
The Senate voted 35-16 to reject cuts of $56 million to fund the Tamms high-security prison, the Dwight women’s lockup and other sites.
The measure moves to the House. If the House approves it, Quinn wouldn’t be forced to spend the money on the facilities.
But it would prohibit the Democratic governor from spending the cash on anything else.
Quinn opposed the override. He wants to improve child-protection program funding. His administration has argued that Tamms and some juvenile detention centers are underutilized and that developmentally disabled residents in state institutions would do better in community settings.
