Lawmakers on the State Budget Panel Say Governor's Plan to Overhaul Prison System "Needs Work"

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 -- 12:01 PM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) Republican leaders on the Legislature’s budget panel say Democratic Governor Tony Evers plan to overhaul the state’s prison system needs work.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, Joint Finance Committee co-chair Representative Mark Born is pleased Evers wants to close the Green Bay prison, but said the plan is “half baked” and “needs a lot of work.” Born and committee co-chair Senator Howard Marklein expect there will be more conversations with the governor’s office.

Under Evers’ plan, the maximum-security Green Bay Correctional Institution would eventually be shut down, and the hundreds of men housed there would be moved to other institutions.

Evers also wants to convert the maximum-security Waupun Correctional Institution into a medium security prison that focuses on job training. In all, the $535 million reorganization would reduce the capacity of Wisconsin’s prison system by about 700 people.

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