“I would characterize it as a pretty cut-and-dried case, as far as the constitution is concerned,” said ProgressOhio Executive Director Brian Rothenberg.
He said it violates a section of the constitution that requires legislation to cover a single subject.
Kasich press secretary Rob Nichols said, “We don’t comment on pending legislation.”
“This is exactly what you would expect from the overtly partisan ProgressOhio,” said Carlo LoParo, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. “Our effort to seek proposals for privatization has been open, fair and legislatively sanctioned,” he said.
Barring a court order, the state plans to announce the winning bids for the purchase and operations of the prisons around Sept. 1, LoParo said.
The nation’s three largest private corrections companies — Corrections Corp. of America, the GEO Group and Management and Training Corp. — have filed bids.
ProgressOhio seeks an injunction to force the state to stop work on the plan, and to halt or reverse any job actions involving workers at the prisons, located in Conneaut, Grafton and Marion.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2264 or tbeyerlein@DaytonDaily News.com.
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