Corrections department seeks $58 million to address safety, other needs at Rush City prison

Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell has safety and programming concerns at the Rush City facility.

Schnell said the facility is “warehousing” about 1,000 prisoners, twice the prison’s capacity, double-bunking inmates in cells, and is unable to provide adequate educational programs, behavioral treatment, and sex offender treatment due to a lack of space.

The governor’s bonding recommendations include $57.97 million to renovate 16,000 square feet of the prison and expand it by 28,000 square feet.

The lack space results in 25% of the inmates to not participate in any programming, Schnell told the House Capital Investment Committee at an informational hearing Thursday. “This [expansion] would address that problem and provide adequate space to deliver treatment services and programming services to the entire population.”

[MORE: View the department’s presentation]

The facility currently uses two small rooms for mental health therapy sessions, and sex offender treatment occurs in a trailer outside of the prison facility.

“Over 300 men at this facility are on a wait list to receive sex offender-specific treatment programming, which is critical to reduce the risk of reoffending,” Schnell said.

A $46.59 million request for the same project was made in 2024 when the Legislature did not pass a bonding bill, but inflation and project tweaks have increased the cost by about $11 million.

“As we look at the increase in cost over just a year, with asset preservation going up … and this project for Rush City going up by $11 million, I think it’s crucial for us to get a bonding bill this year,” said Rep. Fue Lee (DFL-Mpls).

The Department of Corrections is also requesting $65.57 million in general-obligation bonds and cash for facility asset preservation and maintenance.