Maine Jail Bill Wins Support

AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill that would grant greater authority to the Maine State Board of Corrections has won initial approval in both the House and Senate. L.D. 1824 primarily directs the board to establish an essential programs and services funding formula for county jails, and to review county jail management models implemented in other states. The measure received a 130-16 vote of support in the House and a 31-4 vote of support in the Senate.

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Funding Comes to Maine Jails

AUGUSTA, Maine — A funding proposal for Maine’s state jails passed the Maine State Board of Corrections on Aug. 20. The proposal states that the Board of Corrections will fully fund Maine’s 15 jails for the remainder of the fiscal year. This is a risky move, since the board currently has less than 25 percent of the money to fulfill the funding requests. The vote passed with the expectation that the legislature will provide financial support to cover the remaining costs of the funding.

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