Lawmakers Delay Vote on Prison Proposal

The budget committee in the Alabama House Wednesday discussed but took no vote on Gov. Robert Bentley's plant to borrow $800 million to build four new state prisons and close most existing prisons.  The committee will take up the bill again at a meeting Thursday.  The plan calls for the state to issue bonds and pay off the debt with savings from consolidating most of the existing prisons.  Most of the projected savings would come from reducing staff size through attrition, reducing overtime costs and reducing inmate health care costs by consolidating care facilities.