Legislature(2001 - 2002)
2002-02-20 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2002-02-20 Senate Journal Page 2260 SB 336 SENATE BILL NO. 336 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled: "An Act giving notice of and approving the entry into, and the issuance of, certificates of participation for the upgrade, expansion, and replacement of certain correctional facilities and jails; giving notice of and approving the entry into, lease-financing agreements for certain of those projects; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the State Affairs, Judiciary and Finance Committees. The following fiscal information was published today: Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Revenue Governor's transmittal letter dated February 19: Dear President Halford: This bill I transmit today addresses the critical need to expand our correctional facilities in the state. This bill provides for the expansion of approximately one-third of Alaska's prisons, jails, and community jails and authorizes the issuance of about $117 million in certificates of participation for project funding. 2002-02-20 Senate Journal Page 2261 In 1995, my Criminal Justice Cabinet formulated a three-part strategy to address the problem presented by the state's burgeoning prison and jail populations. The plan involves reducing the number of low-risk offenders who enter the state's correctional facilities, decreasing the length of time spent by low risk-offenders in correctional facilities, and increasing the population capacity of our facilities. House Bill 53, passed in 1998, authorized funding for the construction of a new 400-bed municipal jail in Anchorage. When I signed HB 53 into law, I called it a "good first step" toward addressing Alaska's regional corrections needs. The Anchorage jail project is now virtually complete and is scheduled to open in April of this year. The time has come to address our remaining correctional needs. The expansion of the Palmer and Spring Creek prisons will add just over 400 beds to our statewide capacity. These beds are needed to keep pace with our increasing number of prisoners and to enable the state to return prisoners from out of state facilities. The Spring Creek project is especially important because it will expand the state's Youthful Offender Program to create more room for young offenders who can benefit from special education program designed to reduce their risks of re-offending. The combined costs of construction for these projects, which can be completed by 2005, are estimated at $68.6 million, while the increased annual operating costs for these facilities are estimated at $14.0 million. The department is now incurring contractual costs to house these inmates out of state. This bill also authorizes the expansion state facilities in Bethel and Fairbanks, which would add about 150 beds to the statewide jail system at a total construction cost of about $28 million. Bethel is a regional hub and prisoners from throughout the Yukon- Kuskokwim Delta are housed at the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center (YKCC). The jail was built for 88 inmates, but has historically housed nearly 130 prisoners. The department is now keeping it under its legal capacity of 92 inmates only by sending many Bethel inmates to other facilities. This bill authorizes the financing needed to expand YKCC by 96 beds. The costs of construction, which can be completed by 2005, are estimated at $17.5 million, while the increased annual operating costs for the facility will be about $5.6 million. 2002-02-20 Senate Journal Page 2262 The Fairbanks Correctional Center has historically been overcrowded by as much as 26% of its capacity. This condition is partially the result of statewide overcrowding, but it is largely due to the demands placed on the facility as a regional jail. As with Bethel, efforts to keep the Fairbanks facility under its legal capacity of 211 inmates are only achieved by routinely transferring inmates to other facilities. This bill authorizes the financing needed to expand the Fairbanks facility by 60 beds. The costs of construction, which should be completed by 2005, are estimated at $10.6 million, while the increased annual operating costs is estimated at $1.9 million. Many of the state's remaining prisons and jails are in need of expansion as well. This bill acknowledges that these projects are just the first phase of what should be a three-phase undertaking. By the time these projects are completed, the state will need to expand the Mat-Su pretrial facility, the new Anchorage Jail, and the Pt. MacKenzie facility to add approximately 380 beds. This bill authorizes $4.1 million in funds for the design costs associated with these projects. After that, it will be necessary to add approximately 375 beds to the state's prison in Wildwood, and its regional facilities in Lemon Creek and Ketchikan. The third component of this legislation authorizes matching funds for the expansion of four community jails, also known as "contract jails". State prisoners are held in 15 different jails owned and operated by local governments in communities that do not have state correctional facilities. The state contracts with these facilities for the services they provide in holding state prisoners on a short-term basis. The community jail facilities at Kodiak, Kotzebue, Dillingham, and the North Slope Borough are especially deteriorated and overcrowded. The overflow of inmates from these communities creates pressure on the state's facilities in Anchorage, Nome, and Fairbanks. This legislation authorizes up to $16 million in matching funds for capital projects that will increase the capacity of these community jails. It is incumbent upon the communities to match the state's funds for these projects. Kotzebue has already obtained authorization for $4 million in federal funds to be used for the expansion of their jail. 2002-02-20 Senate Journal Page 2263 The state anticipates these capital projects will increase the capacity of these community jails as follows: replacing the 8-bed facility in Dillingham with a new 25-bed facility; replacing the existing 16-bed facility in Kodiak with a new 20-bed facility; adding 26 beds to the existing 14-bed facility in Kotzebue; and replacing the existing 9-bed facility in the North Slope Borough with a 20-bed facility. The increase in operating costs for these facilities is $850,000 for Dillingham; $350,000 for Kodiak; $1.1 million for Kotzebue; and $1 million for the North Slope Borough. Our correctional system is continuing to bend under the strain of overcrowding. In the last ten years the average daily population has risen steadily, from 2,636 to 4,377 prisoners. The trend is continuing and it is essential that we take further measures to keep up with this growth. This bill continues to implement the Department of Corrections' multi-faceted plan to address the in-state needs for our correctional facilities. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this bill. Sincerely, /s/ Tony Knowles Governor