Democratic State Sen. Bobby Powell,who represents District 30 in Palm Beach County, is requesting that some inmates be released early amid the coronavirus outbreak. Powell says this could help combat the spread of coronavirus in correctional facilities.

Powell,who is the incoming chair of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, said he plans to send a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis urging for the early release. He said “anyone who’s up for release in the next couple of months, anyone who’s elderly and does not provide a threat to the health and safety of the general population, be released, so those people are not sitting in a prison facility while this pandemic is occurring.”

Powell says if it gets into the prison system it will spread rapidly among inmates.

Powell said the early release will hopefully alleviate the spread of COVID-19 in Florida’s prisons.

The state senator said he hopes the current health issue will be an opportunity for both political parties to come together on the issue.