Plan for 30 parole officers is revived

For the second time in recent days, the Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposal that would add 30 probation and parole officer positions for the state Department of Community Correction in the coming fiscal year.

In a divided voice vote, the committee approved an amendment proposed by Rep. Will Bond, D-Little Rock, to the department’s operations appropriations — House Bill 1082 — for fiscal 2019 that starts July 1. Bond’s amendment would increase the department’s number of officers from 499 to 529 and spending authority from $89.4 million to $90.9 million in fiscal 2019.

Last week, the committee recommended approval of a similar proposal before the House of Representatives rejected the plan.

Bond said authorizing the department to hire 30 more officers would ensure probationers and parolees are monitored appropriately for public safety and give them the best chance for success. The state is now asking the officers to be “superheroes” because their caseloads are so high, he said.

Department Director Sheila Sharp said the department previously added 65 positions recommended by the governor. She said the department has about 20 vacant probation and parole officer positions. If the department was granted 30 more officers, she could fill the positions because the department has enough applicants, she said.

State Budget Director Duncan Baird said the governor hasn’t recommended the required $1.2 million in general revenue to fund the 30 additional positions that Bond seeks. Baird said he also doesn’t anticipate providing the funding. To fund the 30 new positions, Bond said he would like to tap $1.2 million of the $48 million in surplus tax revenue that Hutchinson has proposed to set aside in fiscal 2019.