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 The bill was introduced in January 2026 but withdrawn on February 2, 2026, and never became law.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.
HB 1502 authorizes the Tennessee Corrections Institute to set training standards and certify local corrections officers and training academies for jails and lock-ups. It requires local facilities to submit plans of action within 90 days after inspections to address non-safety issues, with limits on plan duration. The bill also allows the Institute's director and full-time staff to carry firearms while performing official duties. This directly affects corrections officers, local correctional facilities, and the Tennessee Corrections Institute staff.
SB 1801 automatically restores voting rights for people released from prison after serving a sentence for a "serious crime" (as defined by Tennessee law), without requiring a pardon or special conditions. It directly affects individuals convicted of such crimes who have completed their sentences or been discharged from custody. The key provision requires county election commissions to accept prison discharge documents as proof of restored voting rights, replacing previous requirements for gubernatorial pardons or court orders. This change applies to people released after the bill takes effect, streamlining the process for rejoining the electorate.
This bill requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to conduct annual education assessments for inmates serving felony sentences. The assessments determine each inmate's highest education level and interest in continuing or advancing their studies. The department must then provide written notice within 90 days of the assessment about available educational programs. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 1914 prevents Tennessee's Department of Correction from moving state inmates out of local jails into state facilities if they're in a work release or re-entry program, unless the inmate fails program requirements or has disciplinary issues. This directly affects inmates participating in these community-based programs who might otherwise face sudden relocation. The bill adds a specific legal prohibition requiring the department to maintain these inmates in local jails during program participation, barring only documented failures or misconduct. It creates a concrete policy change to support continuity in rehabilitation programs by limiting arbitrary transfers.
HB 1686 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to create a performance-based contracting program for private and public entities operating state prison facilities. The bill ties 25% of a contractor's annual funding to measurable improvements in 14 specific performance metrics, including staff turnover rates, inmate safety (like preventable deaths), participation in rehabilitation programs, and post-release employment or recidivism rates. Contractors must meet yearly targets for these metrics to receive the conditional funds, with failure to improve resulting in the funds returning to the state general fund. This directly affects prison contractors, not inmates or staff, by linking their payments to documented performance outcomes.
HB 1860 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to provide inmate-related records and information to any state legislator upon written request. This directly affects the Department of Correction (which must comply) and state legislators (who gain access to review compliance with correctional laws). The bill mandates that legislators submit specific written requests naming an inmate, sign confidentiality agreements, and keep all records on-site during review. It does not change correctional laws but creates a formal process for legislative oversight of inmate custody practices.
HB 1745 automatically restores voting rights for Tennessee residents convicted of an "infamous crime" upon their release from prison or when their maximum sentence expires. It directly affects individuals who have completed sentences for such convictions, eliminating the need for a governor's pardon or special conditions to regain voting eligibility. The bill amends Tennessee law to remove current disqualifications for those no longer incarcerated for these crimes, requiring county election commissions to accept prison discharge documentation as proof of restored rights. This change applies to both state and federal convictions that would qualify as infamous crimes under Tennessee law.
HB 1638 extends the timeframe for the Tennessee Department of Correction to notify victims about parole hearings. It changes the deadline from 90 to 100 days after a court conviction for inmates eligible for parole consideration. This affects the Department of Correction (which must send notifications) and victim witness coordinators (who receive them). The bill amends Tennessee law to give the Department an extra 10 days for this notification process, effective July 1, 2026.
SB 1994 prohibits Tennessee state agencies and local governments (counties, cities, or metropolitan governments) from entering new contracts or renewing existing contracts for private prison services. It directly affects private companies currently providing correctional services for inmates under the Tennessee Department of Correction or local government custody. The bill amends Tennessee law to ban all new or renewed contracts for these specific correctional services after the bill's effective date. This is a direct policy change banning future private prison contracts within the state's correctional system.
