Since the Alabama Legislature adjourned sine die back in May, members of the legislature have been conducting meetings with Gov. Kay Ivey on how to proceed with improving Alabama’s beleaguered prison system.
The state is facing scrutiny from the federal government. Earlier this year, the Biden Justice Department filed a lawsuit alleging the state is in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
During an interview with Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal” on Friday, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) insisted progress had been made on the issue but said there was still yet more to be done.
“We’ve had quite a few meetings,” he said. “I’ve been very encouraged by the collaborative efforts, both House and Senate. You know, the governor of Alabama took this issue, which is a very important topic. We’re suffering from lawsuits at the federal level that we must address. There are issues that are not going to go away until we deal with them. We don’t want the federal government to be in a position where they say, ‘You’ve not done anything. You’ve not accomplished anything.’ And as a result, we’re going to come in and have mandates related to your prison system that you don’t want. That’s what we’re trying to steer clear of. The governor had a good plan. She worked on several elements of it. It was not able to move forward.”
“So now, as the House, the Senate and the Governor working together coming up with thoughts and ideas and plans,” Reed continued. “I think in that process, you’ve had new information that has been provided. I think the Governor’s process provided quite a good bit of new information. You’ve had legislative leaders and members of both the House and the Senate working in team to analyze that data and then move to look to formulating plans that are going to address a lot of the issues that the federal courts say are ours to deal with. I’m pleased with that process. Now, are we finished? No. Do we have more information to analyze? Is there going to be more detail? Absolutely.”
“But I’m pleased with the process moving forward — men and women in the legislature working with the Governor really as equal partners trying to move this forward I think is exactly what we need, and that’s what’s happened,” he added.
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
