WBRZ - Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE - State prison officials want to raise probation and parole fees by $10 to soften the blow of budget cuts.

Department of Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc told lawmakers Thursday that the increase would generate $3 million the agency sorely needs.

Last year, the state's Division of Probation and Parole collected $27 million in supervision fees, victim restitution, fines and other expenses.

The state is facing a $1.6 billion budget shortfall in the fiscal year that starts next summer.

The Jindal administration directed state agencies to prepare for 35 percent budget cuts.