COLUMBIA --- South Carolina's prison director said Thursday he has prepared plans to deal with a budget shortfall in part by releasing inmates early if the Legislature approves.

Corrections Department Director Jon Ozmint told the state's budget oversight board he has drafted legislation that would have lawmakers order early releases and close prisons.

Mr. Ozmint said the prison system has implemented big and small cost-saving measures that will help it operate without losing more money as costs rise for things he has a difficult time controlling, such as health care.

But there are no more big savings areas short of trimming payrolls by releasing prisoners early and shutting down prisons. Mr. Ozmint proposed that earlier this year with a deficit reduction plan given legislators. "There was no appetite for that in the Legislature," he said.

That would have come in the midst of election season. Beyond that, "just on the surface, early release scares people," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper said after Mr. Ozmint spoke to the Budget and Control Board. The Piedmont Republican is one of the board's five members.

With up to a two-year downturn, Mr. Ozmint told the board his draft legislation would cut time from the end of sentences. The proposal would have no effect on those serving life sentences.

"The Legislature gets to choose. If I want to move that date up two months, then I can close a prison. I can mothball a prison -- close that prison -- save those operating costs for two years or one year -- however long you want to give us those powers," Mr. Ozmint told Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman.

Gov. Mark Sanford was skeptical, saying people committing crimes and crime victims deserve to know exactly how long people will be incarcerated.