House Approves Plan To Move Frail Inmates

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jailcell-24

The Michigan House has approved legislation to create a process for moving sick or frail inmates from the state’s prisons and into medical facilities. State Representative Dave Pagel, the plan’s sponsor, tells WSJM News the legislation only applies to very sick prisoners.

“We very carefully defined medically frail as getting to the point where you cannot carry out a couple of the basic activities of basic living like getting out of bed, toileting, grooming yourself,” Pagel said.

Pagel tells us it can cost north of $150,000 per year to keep one of those inmates in a prison. Under his bill, they would have to be approved by the parole board for a move into a specialized medical facility. The plan passed the House this week on a vote of 94 to 14. Pagel says he feels good about its chances in the Senate.