SB 2021 Tennessee Senate · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Welfare - As introduced, requires the commissioner of human services to provide to the commissioner of correction an application for food assistance to be used by inmates in state correctional institutions prior to release; requires the application to contain an option for the inmate to indicate a denial to apply for food assistance and reasons for doing so; requires the commissioner of correction to supply the application to each inmate prior to release; requires reports to the general assembly on certain data collected from the applications and on the number of inmates leaving incarceration who are approved for food assistance. - Amends TCA Title 41 and Title 71.

SB 2021 required Tennessee correctional facilities to provide inmates with a food assistance application before release, including options to decline assistance and state reasons for refusal (with anonymous option). It mandated correctional staff to distribute and collect these applications, then submit annual reports to the legislature on application completion rates, reasons for declines, and approval numbers. The bill was introduced in January 2026 but withdrawn on February 2, 2026, and never became law. It would have directly affected incarcerated individuals preparing for release and state correctional institutions.
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 22, 2026 Last action Feb 2, 2026