Lincoln Hills replacement funding passes Legislature’s budget committee

A replacement for the Lincoln Hill School for Boys — which has had a long and troubled history — has passed the Legislature’s budget committee. The legislation would allow around $42 million in borrowing on the state’s part to fund a new facility.

Funding for a replacement for the Lincoln County-based facility passed both chambers of the Legislature unanimously last month, but an amendment made in the Assembly required the measure to go through the Joint Committee on Finance.

With little discussion, the bill and its amendment passed the committee on a 13-0 vote.

State Sen. Kathleen Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, read a statement during the hearing from state Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma. Felzkowski is the author of the bill and a member of the committee, but wasn’t present for the vote.

“I want to especially thank the brave correction officers, teachers and nurses working at Lincoln Hills who engaged with us both throughout the budget process and through committee hearings on this,” Felzkowski said in the statement. “This bill would not have gotten to this point without your dedication.”

The Assembly’s amendment to the bill also requires approval from a local governing body wherever the state decides to build the replacement facility.

Because the Assembly changed the bill, the adjusted version of the legislation still needs to pass the state Senate again before it heads to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk.

Evers signaled his support for the measure in a tweet last week.

The closure of Lincoln Hills has been planned since 2018. That March, then-Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill moving forward with the closure of the youth prison by January 2021. The bill followed in the wake of continued neglect and abuse reports in the prison.

Evers later moved back that deadline to July 2021. Despite continued concerns regarding the state of the prison, the lack of a ready replacement means the facility remains open.

Evers’ Department of Corrections had called for building a new facility in Outagamie County, but in 2020, Republican lawmakers held back spending on the replacement while approving funding for other youth facilities throughout the state.

The Senate voted last month to approve the Lincoln Hills replacement funding. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, initially said the measure passing his chamber was unlikely, but he relented after pushback from fellow party members, including former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.