Prisons and Reformatory Institutions

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on financial impacts or price changes in prison commissaries.

TRICOR Program Expansion

This bill amends Tennessee's TRICOR program to allow it to operate commissary programs within state prisons as part of its mission to offset incarceration costs.

What This Bill Does

• Amends the mission statement of the TRICOR program to include generating revenue through operating commissary programs in addition to selling products.
• Authorizes the TRICOR board to operate commissary programs based on free enterprise principles.

Who It Names or Affects

• The TRICOR program in Tennessee
• State prisons in Tennessee

Terms To Know

TRICOR

Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction Inmate Program, a state program aimed at reducing prison costs.

Commissary programs

Stores inside prisons where inmates can buy personal items and food.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money TRICOR will save or earn from commissary programs.
• It is unclear if this change will affect the prices of goods in prison commissaries.

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that it is the intent
of the general assembly

that
the
Tennessee rehabilitative initiative in correction inmate program
("
TRICOR
")
has as part of its mission to offset the costs of incarceration by generating revenue through the sale of products in lieu of state appropriated funds.
This bill adds that the mission may also offset the costs of
incarceration by generating revenue through
the operation of commissary programs within state prisons
in lieu of state appropriated funds.
This b
ill authorizes the
TRICOR board, within the principles of free enterprise,
to
operate
such
commissary programs within state prisons.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2242
By Hurt

SENATE BILL 2117
By Jackson
SB2117
011939
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41,
Chapter 22, relative to TRICOR.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-22-414(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language:
TRICOR has as part of its mission to offset the costs of incarceration by
generating revenue through the sale of products in lieu of state appropriated
funds.
and substituting instead:
TRICOR has as part of its mission to offset the costs of incarceration by
generating revenue through the sale of products and the operation of
commissary programs within state prisons in lieu of state appropriated funds.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-22-414, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the TRICOR board, within the
principles of free enterprise, and for the purpose of carrying out its legislative intent as
stated in subsection (a), may operate commissary programs within state prisons.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.