The Illinois House today voted in favor of reopening a downstate prison work camp. Governor Bruce Rauner's administration began shutting down the Hardin County camp at the end of last year to save money.
Most Republicans voted against the legislation. But GOP Representative Terri Bryant of Murphysboro, who spent years working for the state prison system, voted for it.
"Not only is this facility important to our region, in the fact that it's the number one employer for Hardin County. But it's also important to the Department of Corrections as we work to make our staff and those who are incarcerated safer."
Bryant says inmates at the camp have donated thousands of hours of community service. Much of that has been preparing for flooding and the clean-up that comes after.
