Mississippi House pushes for transparency and contract rebidding in MDOC funding
The Mississippi House has advanced amendments to a Senate bill to improve transparency and oversight of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The changes include requirements for the agency to submit detailed financial reports and to rebid its inmate healthcare contract.
State Rep. Becky Currie, a Republican, submitted a strike-all amendment to Senate Bill 3088, which sets the appropriations for MDOC. The amendment proposes a $480.3 million budget for the department, citing increased costs for inmate healthcare provider VitalCore. Currie said the contract cost increased from $124 million to $128 million this year, with plans to reach $133 million next year.
The bill also allocates $443,000 to the city of Walnut Grove for unpaid utilities by MDOC. Currie responded to a question from Democratic Rep. Jeffery Hullum, clarifying that the bill does not require the department to settle overdue bills for services like ambulance runs, but she expressed willingness to consider future payments.
Additional funding includes a $2.2 million increase for prison wages. Currie noted that the bill removes a previous $2.4 million appropriation meant for a parole officer support system, which was never completed after funding was provided for two years.
The amendments stipulate that MDOC must submit quarterly reports on expenditures, including those related to the Inmate Welfare Fund and Canteen Fund, to legislative committees and the Legislative Budget Office. The first report is due by October 2027, with subsequent reports due quarterly over the following two years.
Currie’s second amendment requires MDOC to solicit contract proposals for inmate healthcare, including hospital bids, by March 1, 2027, with a new contract in place by October 1 of that year. She expressed hope that new leadership would facilitate these changes.
When asked if VitalCore could rebid on the healthcare contract, Currie confirmed they could. She also highlighted concerns over recent inmate deaths and advocated for new health programs within the prison system, such as hepatitis C, HIV, and women’s health initiatives.
The House approved the bill with the amendments by a vote of 116-1. It now returns to the Senate for further consideration, either for concurrence or for a conference committee.
Source: Original Article
