Committee unanimously advances $1.5M appropriation for prison oversight office after family testimony

A Senate committee on March 3 unanimously recommended approval of House Bill 2,063, a $1.5 million appropriation to the Corrections Oversight Fund intended to support the recently established prison oversight office.

Crystal Fox testified in a personal and emotional statement in favor of the bill. She described her son Joshua’s severe mental illness, the family’s unsuccessful attempts to secure psychiatric hospitalization, and Joshua’s death in custody in 2021. "Joshua survived just 30 hours in prison despite multiple severe injuries," Fox said, recounting missed rounds, placement in general population with a bunk bed, and other failures she said led to his suicide.

Edie Lafave, representing Justice Action Network, told the committee the oversight office was implemented last year and that the recent federal receivership of the department of corrections’ health care shows increased need for oversight funding. "This will fund the prison oversight office that was implemented last year," Lafave said, and she urged the committee to continue the prior unanimous support she said the measure received.

Representative Blackmon, the bill sponsor, framed the appropriation as a public‑safety and transparency measure that would allow unannounced visits and oversight aimed at preventing further deaths and costly federal intervention. "What this does, it helps us, it mitigates us, and it sends a clear message to the federal government that we are prepared," Blackmon said.

The vice chair moved HB 2,063; the committee voted 10 ayes, 0 no, 0 not voting, producing a do‑pass recommendation.

What’s next: HB 2,063 advances with bipartisan committee support. Testimony highlighted concerns about mental‑health treatment in county jails and state prisons and the oversight office’s role alongside federal receivership of prison health care.