FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
June 24, 2015
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
Progress Michigan Responds to Aramark-Prompted Prison Kitchen Bill
LANSING — Progress Michigan released the following statement regarding proposed legislation to require prison kitchens to undergo health inspections in the wake of maggots being found in an Aramark kitchen. The bipartisan package of bills includes HB 4748 and HB 4749 and would require Aramark to cover the cost of the inspections.
“It is far past time for action on the Aramark contract and while these bills are certainly welcome, we believe that they only accomplish a fraction of the accountability needed to fix the litany of issues that have occurred during Aramark’s tenure in Michigan,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Attorney General Schuette and Governor Snyder should have investigated and canceled this contract long ago and these bills are a Band-Aid on the festering wound that is the state’s Aramark contract. We look forward to these bills starting a discussion in the legislature and applaud the bill sponsors for finally taking action.”
Aramark’s prison kitchen problems are not unique to Michigan. Just recently, Ohio renewed their contract for prison food service with the Philadelphia-based company despite maggots in the food, staffing and meal shortages and inappropriate conduct by their employees.
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