Californian Official Fights Proposed Death Row Project

Already with a high concentration of prison facilities, the state of California is looking to add a new death row facility to its San Quentin prison. Bids are open for construction of the facility, which could cost the state $360 million.

But one state assemblyman is vocally opposed to the project, and argues it won't pass legal challenges.

"'People are free to bid - but it is very likely that this project is not going to proceed,' [California State Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael)] says. 'I would be surprised if contractors put a lot of work into this. It will be wasted time if they do.'

Huffman says that legal challenges to the governor's loan authorization are in the works, as well as to his ability to launch any kind of prison construction initiative until he has dealt with overcrowding issues that he has been court-ordered to address.

'I think what he is doing is illegal,' Huffman says."