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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HB291 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRISONS AND PRISONERS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRISONS AND PRISONERS.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Morrison
Last action
2026-06-24
Official status
Signed 6/24/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The source material does not provide definitions for 'inmate labor' or 'for-profit entity', so those terms were removed from the explanation.

Ban on For-Profit Contracts Using Inmate Labor

This law stops the Delaware Department of Corrections from making, renewing, or extending contracts with for-profit companies that use inmate labor.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits the Department of Corrections from entering into new contracts with for-profit entities to use inmate labor.
  • Stops the department from renewing or extending existing contracts with for-profit groups for this purpose.
  • Exempts outside employment and work release programs under Section 6533 from these restrictions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Delaware Department of Corrections
  • For-profit entities seeking to use inmate labor in contracts

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not change rules regarding outside employment and work release programs.
  • The official effective date is not specified in the provided text, though it was signed on June 24, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-24 Delaware General Assembly

    Signed by Governor

  2. 2026-06-16 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 NOT VOTING

  3. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Corrections & Public Safety) in Senate with 4 Favorable

  4. 2026-04-16 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 33 YES 6 NO 2 ABSENT

  5. 2026-04-16 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Corrections & Public Safety Committee in Senate

  6. 2026-03-24 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Corrections) in House with 7 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits

  7. 2026-03-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Corrections Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRISONS AND PRISONERS.
This Act prohibits the Department of Corrections from entering into contracts with any for-profit entity for the use of inmate labor.
This Act does not apply to § 6533 of Title 11 relating to outside employment and work release.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Morrison & Sen. Hoffner

Reps. Lambert, Neal, Burns, Snyder-Hall, Harris; Sens. Sokola, Walsh, Lockman, Seigfried, Cruce, Poore

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 291

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRISONS AND PRISONERS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 6532, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 6532. Work by inmates.

(k) The Department may not enter into, renew, or extend any contract or arrangement with any for-profit entity for the use of inmate labor. This subsection does not apply to outside employment and work release under § 6533

of this title.

SYNOPSIS

This Act prohibits the Department of Corrections from entering into contracts with any for-profit entity for the use of inmate labor.

This Act does not apply to § 6533 of Title 11 relating to outside employment and work release.