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HB1839 • 2026

Correction, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40 and Title 41, relative to state inmates.

Crime Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Haston, Jackson
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the impact of this bill on overall inmate management in Tennessee.

Rules for Inmates in Work Release Programs

This bill stops the Department of Correction from moving inmates who are part of work release or re-entry programs to state facilities unless they fail to follow rules or have bad behavior.

What This Bill Does

  • It adds a new rule that says if an inmate is in a local jail and taking part in a work release or re-entry program, the Department of Correction cannot move them to another place unless they fail to meet the requirements of their program or have disciplinary issues.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Inmates who are part of work release or re-entry programs in local jails will not be moved to state facilities unless they break rules.
  • The Department of Correction is limited on when they can move inmates from local jails to other places.

Terms To Know

work release
A program that allows inmates to leave jail during the day to work or go to school, as long as they return at night.
re-entry program
A program designed to help inmates prepare for life after prison by teaching them skills and providing support.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an inmate is moved from a local jail to another place outside of work release or re-entry programs.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect the overall management of inmates in Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  4. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  5. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/13/2026

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  11. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/30/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  16. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  17. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  19. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  20. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  21. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  25. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/17/2026

  26. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  28. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  30. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  36. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1914
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 1839
By Haston
HB1839
009988
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40
and Title 41, relative to state inmates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 22, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, if an inmate is housed in a local jail
and the inmate is participating in a work release or re-entry program, then the
department of correction shall not remove the inmate from the local jail facility for the
purpose of relocating the inmate to a state facility unless the inmate has failed to meet
the work release or in-house duty requirements or the inmate's disciplinary records
warrant the inmate's removal from participation in the work release or re-entry program.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.