Correctional officials told the House Appropriations Committee on Dec. 17 that Vermont’s prison system is operating over capacity and needs additional funding to keep services and programs running.

The interim commissioner for the Department of Corrections, John Murad, said the department requested a $4,550,643 general-fund increase to amend its WellPath staffing contract after the average daily population grew. Murad also described a separate $83,000 request to cover increased sheriff transport costs and a $389,955 request for added out-of-state beds under an existing contract.

Why it matters: Corrections officials said the department is carrying more detainees than in recent memory and cannot expand in-state capacity immediately, forcing use of temporary measures and contracted beds. Those choices carry operational costs, reduce programming space and complicate family contact for people in custody.

Details: Murad told the committee the WellPath amendment reflects an upward revision in the average daily population and increased clinical staffing needs, including permanent clinical staff and a program director. A lawmaker asked whether the $1.2 million referenced in questions corresponded to new permanent hires; Murad said the funds are for additional permanent positions and agreed to provide written position details after the hearing.

On transports, Corrections said the sheriff agreements—used when people arrested out of state are returned to Vermont—have produced rising invoices and the department is seeking funding to cover volume and price increases. "We were never provided the funds, but we do have a service of voice and an agreement," a department presenter said when introducing the transport item.

Capacity and out-of-state beds: Murad said Vermont currently houses about 150 people under contract in Mississippi and has contractual capacity for up to roughly 300 beds, but the department only funded the 150 level now requested. He warned the mix of the system’s population has shifted so detainees (people awaiting trial or not yet convicted) now make up a larger share of the total—631 detainees among approximately 1,650 people—placing pressure on post-conviction programming and general-population beds. "We are, overcapacity at all of our facilities," Murad said.

Impact on programs and visitation: Committee members raised the condition at the women’s facility, where staff have temporarily used a gym as dormitory space. Officials confirmed about 25 people were being housed there for roughly a month while construction proceeded, which has constrained program space and impeded some child-visitation activities. Murad said officials will try to quantify how many visits were affected and explore alternative visiting arrangements where possible.

Budget technical items: Corrections described several net-neutral transfers, including a carryforward transfer from the Agency of Human Services to cover a late WellPath invoice that was not paid in the original fiscal year due to contract payment timing and system conversion issues; the transcript shows an amount listed as $3,000,001.68 with extraneous characters. The department also proposed moving $2.5 million of general-fund expenses to Global Commitment funds where eligible and requested modest increases for pilot funds, staff hotel costs and mitigation-related items tied to VOSHA recommendations.

Next steps: Committee members pressed for written details on new positions tied to the WellPath amendment, a clearer breakout of transport costs, and numbers on visitation impacts at the women’s facility. The committee said policy-level questions about placement criteria and broader corrections policy will go to the policy committee for further consideration.

Source: Remarks and exchanges with corrections officials, including interim Commissioner John Murad, at the House Appropriations Committee, Dec. 17, 2025.