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Corrections commissioner outlines $9M operating request, pilots and reforms; committee questions STS funding change
Summary
Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell briefed the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on the agency’s staffing, facilities and budget priorities, requesting a $9 million operating deficiency to close FY2025 and detailing pilots and statutory changes.
Paul Schnell, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections, presented the agency’s overview and budget priorities to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee and outlined requests and program changes for the coming biennium, including a $9 million operating deficiency request to close FY2025 and a proposal to stop the state's contribution to the Sentence-to-Serve (STS) program.
Key takeaways
- Staffing and facilities: The Department of Corrections (DOC) reported approximately 4,300 employees and operates 11 prisons with a combined bed capacity of 9,522 (reflecting double-bunking); the state currently houses roughly 8,300 individuals in those facilities. The agency also supervises about 20,000 people in the community through 13 district supervision offices.
- Operating deficiency: The DOC requests $9,000,000 to close out FY2025. Commissioner Schnell said the request results in part from faster-than-expected hiring and retention after compensation increases, which increased payroll costs but reduced forced overtime and improved staffing levels.
- Sentence-to-Serve (STS) state…
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