Brown Seeks Money For Troubled Prison Medical Unit

(AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown is seeking millions of dollars more to fix problems at an $839 million prison medical complex that was built to help end years of federal court oversight.

The California Health Care Facility in Stockton opened in July. Six months later, the federal overseer who runs the prison medical system abruptly halted admissions, citing a series of problems that have yet to be corrected.

The revised budget Brown proposed Tuesday requests $12.4 million to fix what it calls "unanticipated operational issues." The money will go to hiring 106 additional employees, among other improvements.

It is part of the corrections department's $9.8 billion budget, which accounts for nearly 9 percent of the $107.8 billion general fund spending plan.

Lawmakers must pass a balanced budget by June 15.