By Kiera Riley | Arizona Capitol Times
Key Points:
- A bipartisan proposal to create an independent prison oversight office stalls
- Despite broad legislative support, governor and corrections still have concerns
- Lawmakers continue to push proposal and attached appropriation in budget
A proposal to create an independent oversight office to monitor and report on the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry hit a wall at the governor’s office despite broad bipartisan support throughout the session.
Oversight advocates and a slate of lawmakers have long been pushing for another set of eyes on the state’s carceral system, and this year, they came closer than ever before.
However, reservations from the governor and the Department of Corrections stalled the bill’s momentum, resulting in two chamber budget proposals that lacked the $1.5 million appropriation to create the office.
