Gov. Baker spikes proposed moratorium, expansion on prison construction

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker has spiked a prison and jail construction moratorium section from the nearly $5.2 billion general government bond bill, signing the majority of the bill into law.

Baker struck the section of the bill that would have halted expansion of the prison and jail footprint in Massachusetts for the next five years.

Lawmakers agreed in the borrowing bill to order a five-year moratorium that prohibits any state or public agency from studying, planning, designing, acquiring, leasing, constructing or searching for sites for new correctional facilities. The legislation also barred agencies from expanding, converting, renovating or activating an already-built facility — including those that are dormant — to push inmate capacity beyond current levels, except in cases to support movement of inmates from a closing location.

But Baker, whose administration has explored the concept of constructing a new women's prison in Norfolk to replace the aging MCI-Framingham, spiked the moratorium from the bill, flexing his veto authority while signing off on most of the borrowing in it.

Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy and Department of Correction Commissioner Carol Mici wrote in a June 3 letter to senators that a temporary ban "would restrict the Department's ability to maximize operational efficiencies, address environmental hazards in aged facilities, and meet the evolving demands of the inmate population."

Criminal justice advocates support the moratorium, saying funds targeted for prison expansion should instead go toward rehabilitation.

Because lawmakers waited until July 26 to send Baker a final version of the legislation — just five days before both branches shifted into informal-only mode, where a single objection can stall any action — top Democrats left themselves no time to deploy their supermajority numbers in both chambers and override Baker's veto.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Massachusetts governor spikes prison construction moratorium