Corrections urges $31.6 million increase, cites staffing, overtime and Medicaid 1115 waiver

Summary

Department of Corrections officials told the Senate Judiciary Committee they seek roughly $31.6 million in additional funding largely to cover collective-bargaining salary increases, overtime and staffing, and described plans to implement an approved Medicaid 1115 waiver that would expand Medicaid coverage for incarcerated people pre-release.

Deputy Commissioner Christian Galbert told the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 8 that the Department of Corrections’ FY request includes an increase of about $31.6 million on top of a current budget of roughly $199 million, driven mainly by salary and benefit annualizations tied to collective bargaining and persistent overtime costs.

Galbert said the department’s funding picture includes a large general-fund component and smaller special, federal and Medicaid Global Commitment amounts. “Our FY 26 or 27 request is, an increase of 31,600,000.0 for a current budget of 199,000,000. That represents a general fund increase of about 30,000,000,” Galbert said.

The committee was briefed on several programmatic items that the department plans to pursue if funded. Galbert described a negotiated fifth‑year fee of $75,000 for the statewide victim notification system contract and a separate expansion…

Corrections urges $31.6 million increase, cites staffing, overtime and Medicaid 1115 waiver

Summary

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