By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-886941.mp3
LANSING, MI –
Officials from the Department of Corrections are scheduled to brief state lawmakers Tuesday on the transfer of Pennsylvania prisoners to a prison in Muskegon.
AUDIO:
Corrections officials told a panel of state Senators last week that the transfer of Pennsylvania prisoners to Michigan was going to happen before the end of the week.
Democratic state Representative Andrew Kandrevas was sitting in on the meeting. He says that was the first time anyone knew the corrections contract between the states was official.
"That's when I knew the green light had been given and that the contract was signed and everything was a go," he says. "But the week before that, it was still kind of up in the air. It was imminent, but it wasn't really sure when it was going to happen. So yeah, that surprised me."
Kandrevas chairs the subcommittee that will be updated on the transfer of the prisoners that will continue over the next couple weeks. He says he wants to draw more attention and understanding to the five-year contract between Pennsylvania and Michigan, and what it means for state finances and jobs.