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HB0351 • 2026

Jails, Local Lock-ups

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, relative to electronic monitoring for work release.

Crime Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Hurt, Stevens
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 320
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how sheriffs will handle deductions or payments, leaving some uncertainty in these areas.

Law for Electronic Monitoring Costs in Work Release

This law changes how costs for electronic monitoring devices are paid when prisoners are released to work.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes rules about who pays for electronic monitoring devices used by prisoners on work release if they are working for pay or unpaid work.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Prisoners released for work, whether paid or unpaid.
  • Sheriffs who manage prisoners on work release.
  • Entities that use prisoner labor for unpaid work.

Terms To Know

Electronic monitoring device
A tool used to track a person's location and movements, often worn like a bracelet or necklace.
Work release
When prisoners are allowed to leave jail during the day to work at jobs or do community service.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if a prisoner cannot afford to pay for their electronic monitoring device.
  • It is unclear how this will affect local budgets and funding for jails.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0351

Plain English: The amendment changes how costs for electronic monitoring devices are paid when prisoners are released for work.

  • If a prisoner is released to do paid employment, the sheriff will take money from their wages to pay for the electronic monitoring device.
  • For unpaid work, the entity that uses the prisoner's labor must cover the cost of the electronic monitoring device.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if a prisoner cannot afford to pay for the electronic monitoring device from their wages or if there are no funds available from an entity using unpaid labor.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect prisoners who do not have paid employment.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0533

Plain English: The amendment changes how costs for electronic monitoring devices are paid when prisoners are released for work.

  • If a prisoner is released to do paid employment, the sheriff will take money from their wages to pay for the electronic monitoring device.
  • For unpaid work, the entity that uses the prisoner's labor must cover the cost of the electronic monitoring device.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if a prisoner cannot afford to pay for the electronic monitoring device through their wages or if they do unpaid work.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect prisoners who are already on work release programs before July 1, 2025.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 320

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 320

  4. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 76, Nays 18, PNV 0

  12. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0290)

  13. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  15. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  16. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

  17. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  18. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 25, Nays 5

  20. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0293)

  21. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2025

  22. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025

  27. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  28. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  29. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/25/2025

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  31. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee to 3/25/2025

  32. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  34. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/19/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/12/2025

  36. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/4/2025

  38. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  39. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  40. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  41. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  42. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  43. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 9, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED
AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 533, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, provide that (i) i
f
a
prisoner is released for paid employment, the cost of the electronic monitoring device must be deducted from the prisoner's wages by the sheriff and paid directly to the electronic monitoring device provider by the county or state, as applicable
, and (ii)

i
f a prisoner is released for unpaid work, the entity utilizing the prisoner for work
must
pay the costs of the electronic monitoring device.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 533
By Stevens

HOUSE BILL 351
By Hurt

HB0351
001721
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41,
relative to electronic monitoring for work release.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-2-152, is amended by deleting
subsection (b) and substituting instead:
(b) If a prisoner is released to perform unpaid work, then the entity utilizing the
prisoner for work shall pay the costs of the electronic monitoring device required
pursuant to subsection (a). If a prisoner is released for paid employment, then the
prisoner shall pay the costs of the electronic monitoring device required pursuant to
subsection (a).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-2-152(a), is amended by deleting
the language "beginning January 1, 2024,".
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.