Gov. Rick Perry says Texas won't comply with parts of a federal law that adds new regulations intended to prevent prison rape.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Perry wrote a letter to federal authorities saying Texas cannot afford to comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act, passed in 2003. A deadline to comply with the law was set for May 15.
Perry said proposals to remove some prison security cameras are "ridiculous," and that limiting contact between males and females would hamstring a prison system in which 40 percent of the guards are women.
State prisons spokesman Jason Clark said the system is in compliance with most of the law, but highlights the cross-gender supervision requirement as a particular hurdle.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
