An Act relative to prison reform

This bill establishes two special commissions to evaluate the Department of Correction's programs and the impact of confinement on prisoner mental health. One commission will review the effectiveness of facility programming, while the other will specifically study the effects of disciplinary unit confinement. Additionally, the legislation mandates that prisons partner with public universities to expand educational opportunities and requires the development of new food standards that meet national dietary guidelines, provide adequate seating time for meals, and ban food-related punishments. These food standards must be reviewed every five years and applied to all food services within department facilities. The bill aims to improve conditions and services for incarcerated individuals through structured oversight and concrete policy changes.