Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 1 (RF\KP)
To: Corrections;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Currie, Scott
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 1694
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-158, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REVISE THE COMPOSITION OF THE INMATE WELFARE FUND COMMITTEE TO 2
INCLUDE THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE CORRECTIONS 3
COMMITTEES AND THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE 4
ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY COMMITTEES AS 5
NONVOTING MEMBERS; TO REQUIRE THE COMMITTEE TO MEET AT LEAST ONCE 6
QUARTERLY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 47-5-158, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
47-5-158. (1) The department is authorized to maintain a 11
bank account which shall be designated as the Inmate Welfare Fund. 12
All monies now held in a similar fund or in a bank account or 13
accounts for the benefit and welfare of inmates shall be deposited 14
into the Inmate Welfare Fund. This fund shall be used for the 15
benefit and welfare of inmates in the custody of the department 16
and shall be expended in accordance with any provisions or 17
restrictions in the regulations promulgated under subsection (7) 18
of this section. 19
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 2 (RF\KP)
(2) There shall be deposited into the Inmate Welfare Fund 20
interest previously earned on inmate deposits, all net profits 21
from the operation of inmate canteens, performances of the 22
Penitentiary band, interest earned on the Inmate Welfare Fund and 23
other revenues designated by the commissioner. All monies shall 24
be deposited into the Inmate Welfare Fund as provided in Section 25
7-9-21. 26
(3) All inmate telephone call commissions shall be paid to 27
the department. Monies in the fund may be expended by the 28
department, upon requisition by the commissioner or his designee, 29
only for the purposes established in this subsection. 30
(a) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the inmate telephone 31
call commissions shall be used to purchase and maintain 32
telecommunication equipment to be used by the department. 33
(b) Until July 1, 2008, twenty-five percent (25%) of 34
the inmate telephone call commissions shall be deposited into the 35
Prison Agricultural Enterprise Fund. Beginning on July 1, 2008, 36
thirty-five percent (35%) of the inmate telephone call commissions 37
shall be deposited into the Prison Agricultural Enterprise Fund. 38
The department may use these funds to supplement the Prison 39
Agricultural Enterprise Fund created in Section 47-5-66. 40
(c) Forty percent (40%) of the inmate telephone call 41
commissions shall be deposited into the Inmate Welfare Fund. 42
(4) The commissioner may invest in the manner authorized by 43
law any money in the Inmate Welfare Fund that is not necessary for 44
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 3 (RF\KP)
immediate use, and the interest earned shall be deposited in the 45
Inmate Welfare Fund. 46
(5) The Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Finance 47
shall establish and implement internal accounting controls for the 48
Inmate Welfare Fund that comply with generally accepted accounting 49
principles and regulations of the Department of Finance and 50
Administration. The Deputy Commissioner for Administration and 51
Finance shall prepare and issue quarterly consolidated and 52
individual facility financial statements to the prison auditor of 53
the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and 54
Expenditure Review. The deputy commissioner shall prepare an 55
annual report which shall include a summary of expenditures from 56
the fund by major categories and by individual facility. This 57
annual report shall be sent to the prison auditor, the Legislative 58
Budget Office, the * * * Chairperson of the Corrections Committee 59
of the Senate, and the * * * Chairperson of the Corrections 60
Committee of the House of Representatives. 61
(6) (a) A portion of the Inmate Welfare Fund shall be 62
deposited in the Discharged Offenders Revolving Fund, as created 63
under Section 47-5-155, in amounts necessary to provide a balance 64
not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) in the 65
Discharged Offenders Revolving Fund, and shall be used to 66
supplement those amounts paid to discharged, paroled or pardoned 67
offenders from the department. The superintendent of the Parchman 68
facility shall establish equitable criteria for the making of 69
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 4 (RF\KP)
supplemental payments which shall not exceed Two Hundred Dollars 70
($200.00) for any offender. The supplemental payments shall be 71
subject to the approval of the commissioner. The State Treasurer 72
shall not be required to replenish the Discharged Offenders 73
Revolving Fund for the supplemental payments made to discharged, 74
paroled or pardoned offenders. 75
(b) A portion of the Inmate Welfare Fund shall be 76
deposited into the Inmate Incentive to Work Program Fund, as 77
created under Section 47-5-371, in amounts necessary to provide a 78
balance not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the 79
fund. Such fund shall be utilized to pay inmates who are 80
participants in the Inmate Incentive to Work Program as created 81
under Section 47-5-371. 82
(7) (a) The Inmate Welfare Fund Committee is hereby created 83
and shall be composed of * * * thirteen (13) members: The Deputy 84
Commissioner for Community Corrections, the Deputy Commissioner of 85
Institutions, the Superintendent of the Parchman facility, the 86
Superintendent of the Rankin County facility, the Superintendent 87
of the Greene County facility, the State Treasurer, the State 88
Auditor, * * * two (2) members to be appointed by the Commissioner 89
of Corrections, one (1) of whom must have a relative incarcerated 90
by the department at the time of appointment and shall be a 91
representative of inmate families, the Chairpersons of the House 92
and Senate Corrections Committees, or their designees, as 93
nonvoting members, and the Chairpersons of the House and Senate 94
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 5 (RF\KP)
Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committees, or their 95
designees, as nonvoting members. The commissioner shall appoint 96
the * * * chairperson of the committee. The committee shall 97
administer and supervise the operations and expenditures from the 98
Inmate Welfare Fund and shall maintain an official minute book 99
upon which shall be spread its authorization and approval for all 100
such expenditures. The committee shall promulgate regulations 101
governing the use and expenditures of the fund. The committee 102
shall meet at least once quarterly. A quorum of the committee 103
shall be a majority of the voting members. 104
(b) Regulations adopted shall set out what types of 105
items shall be allowable purchases, and in all cases, the minutes 106
of the committee shall explain which regulation permits any 107
purchase it approves. Additionally, regulations of the committee 108
shall prescribe the number of members necessary to constitute a 109
quorum, minimum attendance requirements for a member to retain a 110
seat on the committee, and a mission statement for the committee. 111
(c) The committee shall conduct an annual needs 112
assessment to determine what types of items should be purchased 113
for the benefit of inmates. The needs assessments shall be 114
conducted with the assistance of the department personnel, inmates 115
and the families of inmates. 116
(d) The committee shall evaluate the proposals of 117
interested third parties for the administration of inmate canteen 118
services as provided in Section 47-5-109.1. 119
H. B. No. 1694 *HR43/R81CS.2* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R81CS.2
PAGE 6 (RF\KP)
ST: Inmate Welfare Fund; revise committee for
and increase inmate phone call commissions
percentage deposited to.
(e) The committee shall expend necessary funds to 120
assist parole eligible inmates who have been diagnosed with a 121
mental illness while housed within a state correctional facility 122
so that such inmates may receive outpatient services and 123
community-based services to treat the mental illness of such 124
inmates. 125
(8) The Department of Audit shall conduct an annual 126
comprehensive special audit of the committee's use of the Inmate 127
Welfare Fund. The department shall incorporate in its special 128
audit report any recommendations it has concerning the financial 129
and management control practices of the committee. The department 130
shall report its findings and recommendations to the * * * 131
Chairpersons of the Senate and House Corrections Committees. 132
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 133
and after July 1, 2026. 134