LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday failed to pass a $750 million appropriation bill aimed at funding the construction of a new 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County. The rejection of the measure presents another roadblock for a project that supporters, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, argue is necessary to address the chronic overcrowding in county jails across the state.

Legislative Debate and Oversight

Sen. Jonathan Dismang, a Republican from Searcy and the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 354, sought to reassure his fellow lawmakers that they would remain engaged throughout the process. He emphasized that the executive branch would have to submit funding requests for each phase of construction, with approvals required from the Arkansas Legislative Council before funds could be allocated.

Work is already in progress on an accountability framework with the Department of Corrections to ensure transparency and oversight, according to Dismang.

“We’re tracking, monitoring, and understanding the process and the progress of the prison construction,” he said. “I understand that the members want to be engaged in this process as it moves forward regardless of what happens with this appropriation, and you’re going to have the ability to do that.”

Controversy Surrounding the Franklin County Facility

The proposed prison has faced controversy since it was first announced. Many local officials and residents felt blindsided when Gov. Sanders revealed in October that the state had already purchased 815 acres near Charleston for $2.95 million. Public opposition has remained strong, with community members and elected officials continuing to voice concerns over the project.

Cost projections for the new facility have also risen, with officials recently estimating an $825 million total expenditure. Lawmakers had previously set aside $330 million for the penitentiary, in addition to $75 million allocated under former Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s administration.

Arguments for and Against the Bill

Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, passionately advocated for the bill, citing a case that underscored the consequences of prison overcrowding. From the Senate floor, he recounted the story of Shawna Cash, who had been arrested and released multiple times before she was ultimately convicted of capital murder for killing Pea Ridge police officer Kevin Apple in June 2021.

“There’s many Shawna Cashes in every one of our districts right now,” Hester warned. “They should be in prison, but there is no room… we’ve got to have room, and I am begging you to not have something horrible happen in your district when we could have made a difference today.”

However, not all lawmakers were convinced. Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, voiced his opposition despite supporting prison expansion in principle. Payton reiterated concerns he had previously raised in the Joint Budget Committee, arguing that the state does not have a sufficient workforce to operate such a large facility in that region.

“When the governor first started pushing for this prison in 2023, there was a pretty good dustup between her and the corrections board,” Payton said. “They made it clear that expanding bed capacity wasn’t safe due to staffing shortages.”

While acknowledging that an appropriation is not the same as direct funding, Payton insisted that moving forward with the project would be financially reckless.

“I understand it’s an appropriation and it’s not funding, but it’s a bad business decision,” he stated. “And I’m not going to be responsible a year or two years from now when we spend three-quarters of a billion dollars, we’ve got the most beautiful, up-to-date, modern facility, we came in under budget—and nobody to work there.”

Dismang countered by pointing to broader initiatives designed to address workforce concerns. He highlighted the governor’s proposed overhaul of the state employee pay plan, which the Senate had advanced earlier that day, as a measure that includes significant pay increases for prison staff.

Vote Breakdown and Next Steps

Despite efforts to push the bill forward, the measure failed to secure the required 27 votes, receiving only 19 in favor. Those voting against SB 354 included Republicans Ron Caldwell, Jimmy Hickey, Ricky Hill, Bryan King, Clint Penzo, Terry Rice, and Gary Stubblefield, alongside Democrats Greg Leding and Clarke Tucker.

Since there is no limit on the number of times an appropriation bill can be reconsidered, Dismang has the option to bring it back for another vote. However, lawmakers are working within a limited timeframe, as they anticipate wrapping up the legislative session by April 16.

The failure of SB 354 leaves the fate of the Franklin County prison uncertain, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate over Arkansas’s correctional system and its future.

Originally reported by Antoninette Grajeda in Arkansas Advocate.