The Florida National Guard is getting deployed to state prisons.
Lawmakers on the Joint Budget Commission approved Friday afternoon a more than $31 million request from the governor to use guardsmen for staff support at correctional facilities across the state.
Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the Guard with an executive order shortly after.
State prisons have long been plagued with safety concerns, stressful work environments and low pay. It's resulted in a corrections officer staff shortage across the state. Current estimates from the DOC show a 24.1% vacancy rate. Continue reading >>>
