Prison lawsuit agreement could cost Idaho $1.6M

BOISE (AP) — Lawmakers will have to approve $1.6 million in staffing increases and other costs for the Idaho Department of Correction under an agreement designed to bring a decades-old lawsuit over conditions at a Boise-area prison to an end.

Idaho State Correctional Institution inmates and state officials signed the agreement Tuesday. It requires more nurses and other medical staffers at the prison, as well as improvements to the prison pharmacy and increased oversight.

The estimated cost is more than $1.6 million, according to IDOC figures. Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke said Wednesday that he believes the Legislature will be supportive of the budget addition once they understand what the money is designed to accomplish. If the changes are carried out successfully, the 31-year-old lawsuit could come to an end.