State of Montana Newsroom
Gov. Gianforte Tours Pine Hills Correctional Facility, Signs Bill
MILES CITY, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte this afternoon toured the Pine Hills Correctional Facility, unveiled the facility’s new sign, and ceremonially signed Senate Bill 344.
“In recent years, Montana has consistently seen state prisons and detention facilities at or over capacity, while youth incarceration rates have declined,” Gov. Gianforte said. “This commonsense law ensures taxpayer money is being used at maximum efficiency at Pine Hills, while still protecting incarcerated youth at the facility.”
Sponsored by Senator Kenneth Bogner (R-Miles City), SB 344 authorizes incarcerated adults to occupy vacant beds at the Pine Hills Correctional Facility when held out of sight and sound of incarcerated youth.
The bill addresses an inconsistency in statute to ensure taxpayer resources are used at maximum efficiency at the facility.
In 2016, a portion of the Pine Hills campus was repurposed in accordance with federal requirements to house young adult males. The young adult male program at Pine Hills provides those aged 18-26 with employable job skills in welding, auto repair, and culinary arts.
###