Argall to Introduce Legislation Prohibiting State Pay for Inmates During Budget Impasse

HARRISBURG – State Senator David G. Argall (R-29) announced today that he will introduce legislation this week prohibiting inmates in state correctional facilities from being paid until the state passes the 2009-2010 state budget.

If the state budget is not approved by June 30, state corrections officers would be forced to work without pay until the budget is passed. However, under current law, the Governor’s Office has insisted that inmates would continue to be paid for their work during a budget impasse.

"It is bad for employee morale and extraordinarily poor public policy to delay pay for corrections officers while the inmates they guard continue to be paid," said Argall. "I am hopeful that the governor will work with the General Assembly to prevent corrections officers from joining a long list of Pennsylvanians who will suffer from the impasse."