GENESEE COUNTY -- The overcrowded prisoners spread across Michigan jails just received a little more elbow room.
A bill signed by Governor Rick Snyder on Thursday will earmark $3 million in funding to help free up jail space in Flint.
The funding will be used by the Michigan Department of Corrections to continue to pay to house Genesee County jail inmates in other jails.
Kurt Weiss, a spokesperson for the state budget office, said the funding could also be used to help reopen the city of Flint's lockup.
This funding is all of a part of Snyder's public safety intiative, which he announced in March at Flint CIty Hall.
The governor is also recommending another $1.5 million for Flint jail space to be included in next year's budget, according to Weiss.
Weiss also said that freeing up space "will allow for the high number of outstanding warrants to be addressed."
A recent Flint Journal review found Flint police and state police handedo ut a combined 72 appearance tickets to offenders in January and February and because of the overcrowded jails, some were allowed to walk free.
