Montana lawmakers this spring are eyeing a proposal from the governor’s office to expand the Montana State Prison and invest millions of dollars in improving public safety.
Alongside Billings law enforcement and corrections leaders, Governor Greg Gianforte touted his plan to add 500 additional beds to the Montana State Prison.
"Law enforcement needs the resources to get the job done," Gianforte said. "When we apprehend criminals, we need a place to put 'em. And if we don't, it puts an undue burden on the county and the local government."
County jails across Montana have long dealt with overcrowding, a problem driven in part by the Montana State Prison being too full as well.
Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder says the jail on Billings’ south side has a capacity of about 430 inmates but is currently holding more than 600.
"We're all busting at the seams," Linder said. "A lot of this has to do with the capacity of the state prison because many of the people that we're holding would otherwise be at the state and so it's affecting a lot of our jails."
Gianforte says the prison expansion would take a one time investment of $150 million—money built into his budget proposal for the next biennium. An additional $6.5 million is proposed to raise pay for corrections officers.
The governor’s budget also includes a one-time $250 million investment to develop and execute a long-term public safety plan.
Billings Police Chief Rich St. John says while the money will not directly go to his department, investing in law enforcement at any level ripples through the system.
"If we can create capacity at all levels, it'll certainly benefit the community," St. John said.
It is up to the legislature to pass the state budget, including any requests from the governor’s office.