Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders rolled out proposed legislation Monday that takes aim at violent criminals in the state.
The "Safer Stronger Arkansas Legislative Package" includes a new, 3,000-bed prison and requires the most serious violent offenders, including those convicted of capital and first-degree murder, rape, child sexual abuse and human trafficking, to serve 100% of their prison sentence.
Those convicted of slightly less serious violent offenses, including manslaughter and second-degree murder, would have to serve at least 85% of their sentence before being considered for release.
The proposal also includes funding inmate mental health care, prison staff recruitment and state trooper training. And it has provisions to help newly released inmates find jobs and cope with paying fines in order to help them stay on the straight and narrow.
Sanders noted Arkansas ranks No. 3 in the nation in murder, No. 2 in rape and No. 1 in child abuse.
She said this legislation, if passed could change that.
"We will protect the people of Arkansas," Sanders said during a news conference Monday.
Sounds good to us. And might we suggest when the times comes to choose for a site to build that new prison, might we suggest the governor looks to her old stomping grounds in Southwest Arkansas?