Rep. Case blasts $13.5 million Niantic nursery proposal

HARTFORD – A $13.5 million legislative proposal would build a nursery at York Correctional Institution, providing female prisoners with added comfort, while looming budget cuts will close day care facilities at places like the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC), State Rep. Jay Case said Tuesday.

Rep. Case, R-Winchester, sat through a vote on House Bill 6642 during an Appropriations Committee meeting on Monday, and said, “I can’t believe this proposal.”

“It troubles me that we’re putting a nursery together at a correctional institution,” Rep Case said Monday. “Given the cuts we have of the hospitals — which are forcing places like CCMC to close their day care facility for good, taxpaying citizens – but we’re looking at building a facility for convicts or potential convicts, is troublesome. The current system we have in place with DCF is working, and now we’re just taking away from our everyday, good working people and trying to help out the ones who are doing wrong.”

H.B. 6642 passed through the Appropriations Committee by a 29-18 vote along party lines, and awaits a calendar date with the state House of Representatives. The bill, which will establish a brand new nursery for women serving up to 18 months in the Niantic-based prison, will cost the taxpayers an estimated $10.6 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and an additional $5 million in 2015, according to the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

Under current law, women who give birth while incarcerated lose their children to the state Department of Children and Families, who develop a well-structured plan with hospital administrators.

“Right now, some people can’t afford day care for their children, yet we’re asking them to pay for inmates’ children and a brand new facility? It’s ridiculous,” Rep. Case said.