State Senate: State and Session Ends

state senate: The measure would enable detention facilities to hold families for prolonged stays, which advocates say could physically and psychologically harm children, according to The Chronicle Herald. The bill needs a final Senate vote that could come as early as Wednesday before heading to the state House. The state Senate voted 20-11 Tuesday to give preliminary approval to a bill that would allow Texas to license two family lockdowns, despite a past state court ruling that such facilities do not meet minimum requirements to care for kids. Texas' legislative session ends May 29, so time is running short. That lockup, which mainly holds women and children seeking asylum from Central America, earns GEO 55 million annually. The private prison company GEO Group, which operates an 830-bed family facility south of San Antonio, lobbied Texas politicians to introduce the licensing bill, which could help its Karnes Residential Center remain open. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.