ATLANTA (WSB Radio) -- The head of the state's Department of Corrections told Georgia lawmakers that it is closing Metro State Prison this spring to save more than $19 million heading into another tough budget year.

That means that Aimee Michael could join her mother in the same prison.

Michael was sentenced to 36 years for the Easter 2009 hit-and-run crash that killed five people in Fulton Co. She was locked up in Metro State Prison after her conviction in November.

Metro State Prison in DeKalb County will close in April. The maximum-security women's prison has about 700 beds. Inmates will be moved to other state facilities.

Michael's mother, Sheila, was sentenced to eight years in prison for trying to cover up her daughter's involvement in the crash. Sheila is serving time at the Lee Arrendale State Prison near Alto in North Georgia. A spokeswoman said it's possible that Aimee may go there as well, but as of now it is not clear where the inmates will be sent.

Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens spoke to a joint legislative appropriations committee on Wednesday as one of several agency heads addressing the group this week as it weighs an $18.2 billion budget proposal submitted by newly elected Gov. Nathan Deal. Deal has told state agencies to slash an average of 7 percent from their already thin budgets.

``The prison population's beginning to flatten out,'' Owens said. ``We don't have nearly as many females coming to the prison system as we did two or three years ago. That's because of 13 day report centers where these people can get treatment. So we're able to give back almost $20 million to taxpayers because of alternative sentencing options.''

No other prison closures are scheduled for this year. Owens said he is hopeful more day report centers can be opened with funds from the budget when the economy improves.

Among the other departments testifying on Wednesday were juvenile justice, public safety, natural resources and economic development.

(Information from the AJC and the Associated Press was used in this report.)