Counties to get more for holding Missouri prisoners

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Counties could get a little more money next year for housing state prisoners.

State lawmakers voted to cut the inmate reimbursement rate to counties in 2002 when faced with a budget crunch.

The increase approved Wednesday by House and Senate budget negotiators still wouldn't return the state funding to the 2002 level, but it would come close.

Counties would get $22 a day per prisoner beginning in July. That's 50 cents less than the level from seven years ago.

County officials claim Missouri violated both the state constitution and a state law by reducing the payments.