Article updated: 12/5/2012 5:32 PM

House allows state prison cuts to stand

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Emon Madison and other students from Centralia High School rally Wednesday at the state Capitol against efforts to close multiple state facilities in southern Illinois. The facilities that have lost state funding include the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia, Centralia Animal Disease Laboratory, Tamms Correctional Center, Illinois Youth Center in Murphysboro, Adult Transitional Center in Carbondale and Illinois State Police Forensics Lab in Carbondale.

Associated Press

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Gov. Pat Quinn won a contentious legislative battle over prison closures — along with ability to direct millions in state money toward child services — on Wednesday. Quinn, a Chicago Democrat, had proposed cutting $56 million from the state's budget and shutting down two prisons, two juvenile detention centers and three halfway houses, a plan a major union opposed and took to the courts.