03/15/10

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ Idaho lawmakers and Gov. C.L. ``Butch''
Otter aim to staff a 432-bed drug treatment prison on July 1,
despite budget woes that had threatened to push the opening date
back to September.

Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke met with Otter
aides, as well as Rep. Maxine Bell and Sen. Dean Cameron, on
Friday.

Bell and Cameron head the Joint Finance-Appropriations budget
writing committee.

They decided Reinke should open the Correctional Alternative
Placement Prison at the start of fiscal year 2011, rather than
Sept. 15.

On March 5, legislative budget writers set nearly $169 million
budget for Reinke's agency, but said the drug treatment prison
would likely be delayed. The facility had originally slated to open
in May.

Reinke says he needs the treatment beds to accommodate 800 drug-
and alcohol-addicted inmates now being held in county jails across
Idaho.


(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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