The proposed 3,000-bed prison facility in Franklin County, which has faced both legislative hurdles and local opposition, has not been canceled, Arkansas Corrections Secretary Lindsay Wallace told lawmakers on Tuesday. Wallace addressed the matter during a joint meeting of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, citing the need for expanded bed capacity within the state’s correctional system.
“Nobody has said that [it’s canceled]. We haven’t discussed that,” Wallace responded when asked directly about the project’s status. She added, “We very clearly need to have more beds. Given that we did not have funding to move forward with that project, we’re looking at other alternatives while we talk about the larger issue of the bed space, the funding for the Franklin County project, or whatever the case may be.”
Wallace’s remarks follow a report by the *Arkansas Democrat-Gazette* last week indicating that the project had been canceled, citing an April email from a department controller and a June agency document that omitted the Franklin County site from future plans. However, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office countered that claim, stating the project remains the preferred option for expanding prison capacity. Spokesperson Sam Dubke said, “An exchange of ideas by staff doesn’t set state policy and these options have not been approved by the Governor or the legislature.”
The Franklin County project has been contentious since its announcement in 2024. Critics in the legislature and local community have voiced resistance, but proponents argue the facility is necessary as the state faces a growing prison population. Changes to Arkansas sentencing laws in 2025 have increased incarceration rates, contributing to overcrowding. As of early August, the state prison system was operating at 109% of its listed capacity overall, with some facilities, like the Benny Magness Unit, exceeding 132% of their intended capacity.
Tuesday’s legislative hearing was the first in a series planned to explore solutions to overcrowding and reduce the state’s long-term need for prison beds. Republican Sen. Alan Clark of Lonsdale, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said these discussions are critical, with the goal of forming recommendations ahead of next year’s regular legislative session, which begins in January.
“We’re going to have a major discussion between now and December,” Clark stated. “There’s a great deal of agreement that we’ve got to act, and so I think we should see a lot of activity on this subject.”
During the hearing, legislators heard testimony from the Arkansas Board of Corrections, sheriffs, prosecutors, prison reform advocates, and Secretary Wallace. Clark said the preliminary goal was to establish a baseline understanding of the state’s prison bed needs. “The answer to that is yes,” he noted, adding that more complex discussions about reducing the demand for prison beds will follow.
“Because we do imprison a lot of people in Arkansas,” Clark said, “we should be looking at every solution. A lot of times, you look at every solution just so you know it’s not a solution.”
The planned meetings will continue through the end of the year as lawmakers evaluate potential strategies to address the state’s prison overcrowding crisis.