Bill that authorizes closure of Stillwater prison over next few years clears Minnesota House and Senate
Legislation that sets in motion the closure of Minnesota's second largest prison over the next four years is on its way to Gov. Tim Walz's desk for signature.
Closing the Stillwater Correctional Facility is part of the judiciary and public safety budget that the House and Senate approved on Sunday as the Legislature nears Monday's end-of-session deadline to get its work done or lawmakers will go into overtime.
In the Department of Corrections is authorized to decommission the prison and sets guidelines for how that should happen. It instructs the department to minimize layoffs and prohibits early releases of individuals who are incarcerated there; they will be moved to other prisons.
The provision was part of a budget deal reached by Walz and DFL and GOP legislative leaders. State officials endorsing the facility's closure said conditions have worsened to a point where it is no longer economically feasible to keep the 111-year-old building operating due to maintenance costs.
"It is antiquated–and that is a kind way to say that. It is unsafe. It is unsafe for the people who work there. It is unsafe for the people incarcerated there," said Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-Saint Paul. "I think Minnesotans can have confidence in a very phased approach on this issue and confidence in the reasoning especially if they recognize people who are incarcerated at and the people who work at the prison are at a high level of danger."
The plan is to phase-in the closure so that it is fully offline by June 2029.
The union representing corrections officers blasted the decision, saying it will lead to overcrowding and will displace workers and their families.
Some Senate Republicans during the floor debate Sunday echoed similar concerns. All of them rejected the plan, while the House received near unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans alike with just three no votes.
"Closing Stillwater prison without a replacement plan is irresponsible. The Department of Corrections will be making it up as they go along," said Sen. Michael Kruen, R-Blaine. "Closing this prison without a deliberative plan is dangerous to our corrections officers. It's dangerous to the inmates, and it's dangerous to public safety here in Minnesota."
Kruen also criticized that the deal to shutter the facility was made behind closed doors without the public's chance to testify on it, as is the case with other proposals during the legislative process.
When leaders announced the budget agreement last Thursday, Walz described keeping Stillwater open as "untenable."
Paul Schnell, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, estimates the cost of maintaining it would cost $180 million and replacing it would climb to over $1 billion.
Officials estimate closing the prison will save the state $40 million per year.
