Governor Rick Scott has issued an executive order seeking to reform Florida’s troubled prison system, after the legislation died over a budget impasse between the House and Senate.
In the last days of session, the House and Senate still differed on key points of their proposals and what they’d like to see in reforming the Florida Department of Corrections plagued by inmate deaths and allegations of abuse by prison guards.
And, while both proposals are no longer in play, Governor Scott included several provisions from each bill.
It includes a way to track “use of force” incidents, policies to protect DOC employees from retaliation if they report any wrongdoing, and ensures there’s a formal agreement between DOC and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that the FDLE investigate inmate deaths.
Missing are some key areas of both proposals including an oversight board that could conduct its own investigations, and a body cameras pilot program
Still, in a statement, Scott called the move “a clear path forward” for the prison system.”
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