2007 Senate Bill 622 (Allow privatization of prison mental health services )

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Public Act 112 of 2007

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Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on June 27, 2007, to repeal a prohibition on the Department of Corrections contracting with third parties to privatize mental health services for prisoners. Under current law the department may only “contract” with the Department of Community Health (the successor agency to the Department of Mental Health, which is the one cited in statute).
- Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 27, 2007.
Passed in the Senate (21 to 17) on September 23, 2007. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the House on September 23, 2007.
- Referred to the House Judiciary Committee on September 23, 2007.
- Substitute offered by Rep. Steve Tobocman (D) on September 30, 2007, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that "tie bars" the bill to Houses Bills 5194 and 5198, tax hikes that total $1.5 billion. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on September 30, 2007.
Passed in the House (82 to 27) on September 30, 2007, to repeal a prohibition on the Department of Corrections contracting with third parties to privatize mental health services for prisoners. Under current law the department may only “contract” with the Department of Community Health (the successor agency to the Department of Mental Health, which is the one cited in statute). Passage of the bill occurred as part of a deal to avoid reducing state spending in the 2007-2008 Fiscal Year by imposing $1.5 billion in tax increases, including an income tax hike (House Bill 5194) and a new 6 percent tax on many personal and business services (House Bill 5198). [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on September 30, 2007.
Passed in the Senate (22 to 16) on September 30, 2007, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill, which tie bars it to a state income tax hike (House Bill 5194) and a new 6 percent tax on many personal and business services (House Bill 5198), part of a deal to avoid spending cuts in the Fiscal Year 2007-2008 budget. [Vote Details and Comments]
Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on October 1, 2007.

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1) privatization and truth in sentencing [by Anonymous Citizen on October 4, 2007]
both are unpalatible to those who don't support them.

privatization is unpalatible to the liberal, who fears the loss of control, the loss of an opportunity to tax, and the loss of an opportunity to turn 'disenfranchised citizens' to their cause.

'good time', and the loss of 'truth in sentencing' is unpalatible to the conservative who fears crime in the streets, and the 'early reliease' of criminals, invalidating the 'true sentence'.

both initiatives are put forward to 'save the state money'. if liberals support 'good time', the early release of inmates to save the state money, why don't they support the privatization of mental health care, in effect 'releasing' those inmates 'early' from jail, to save the state money?

is it perhaps they don't want to give up control of the 'purse strings'?
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2) it's amazing that [by Anonymous Citizen on October 4, 2007]
tax and spend liberals like the ones currently in office would allow that to go on for over four years.

i'm totally 'BLOWN AWAY' by that.
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3) Saddened Realtor [by Anonymous Citizen on October 3, 2007]
Thank you Senators Gleason and Brater. "Most vulnerable citizens" is absolutely right. We used to keep mentally ill patients in nice hospitals. Now we let them wander the streets and sleep under overpasses in the winter until they become disoriented or paranoid enough to commit a crime. Then they end up in a special section of our state prisons.

There are some people who work there who do their best to keep some of them alive. Psychiatric drugs raise temperatures and there's no air conditioning. Yes, they just lost one that way. Many others don't get so see a doctor about physical problems fast enough and die from drug allergy, bleeding, undiagnosed cancer, or you name it. The physical aspects of their medical treatment is handled by, you guessed it, a private service who puts its bottom line above lives. More psychiatrists would help, but the state doesn't pay enough to attract them, and the administration doesn't respect their authority enough to keep them when they become afraid of the liability from their overridden orders.

The problems with corrections is an administration that has a stink very near the top and perpetrates itself by often hiring, not the most experienced and qualified for supervisory positions, but rather those individuals they can totally control. Yes it needs a good housecleaning, but not from the mental health aspects.

If you aren't aware of the pending cases against the state after loved ones die in our prisons, you should be. They tend to get hushed up though. These are not hardened criminals. They are mostly young people with mental health problems. A society should be harshly judged by how it treats its "vulnerable" citizens, especially a society like ours running around in SUVs and paying $75 for concert tickets. Shame on those of you who would condemn more of them to an incarcerated death.
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