Rep. Lamonte offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 424.

            A resolution to urge Governor Snyder to terminate the prisoner food service contract with Aramark.

            Whereas, The state of Michigan entered into a $145 million 3-year contract with Aramark Correctional Services, LLC, effective October 1, 2013, to provide comprehensive food service for prisoners under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Corrections. Privatizing food service was expected to save 20 percent, or $16 million, over using state employees; and

            Whereas, In only the first year, there have been multiple instances of food shortages, unapproved food substitutions, unsanitary food condition, maggots in food service areas, and mysterious illness outbreaks among prisoners. One inmate has filed a federal lawsuit against the state because of poor food quality; and

            Whereas, Aramark employees have engaged in inappropriate conduct, including sexual contact with prisoners and smuggling drugs and tobacco into prisons. As a result, over 100 Aramark employees, nearly a third of the Aramark employees providing food service, are permanently banned from state correctional facilities; and

            Whereas, Aramark's problems are not limited to Michigan. Similar problems have occurred in Florida, Kentucky, and Ohio. Florida terminated its contract with Aramark as a result; and

            Whereas, To date, the administration's response has been inadequate. A $98,000 fine issued in March 2014 was forgiven. The more recent $200,000 fine imposed in August 2014 amounts to a slap on the wrist relative to the size of the contract. The recent hiring of a contract monitor, forced out of his previous position in Florida, to oversee the contract will not salvage a contract when the company itself has fundamental problems; and

            Whereas, The Aramark contract surely cannot be providing the savings promised. Aramark's original proposal did not meet the mandatory 5 percent savings, required by state law, to privatize services. It was only after a re-analysis that the potential for dramatic savings emerged. It is questionable if many of the expectations of that re-analysis are being realized, such as Aramark employees assisting with security in food service areas; and

            Whereas, The chronic breaches of the contract threaten the health of prisoners and the safety at our prisons. While reducing the $2 billion corrections budget remains a priority, cost-savings cannot come at the expense of creating a potentially unstable and dangerous situation at our state correctional facilities; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge Governor Snyder to terminate the contract with Aramark Correctional Services, LLC, to provide comprehensive food services for prisoners under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Corrections; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to Governor Snyder, the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections, and the director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.