County Government

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details on how the $800 supplement will be funded beyond stating it comes from institute funds.

Pay Supplement for Local Correctional Officers

This bill provides a $800 annual pay supplement to full-time certified local correctional officers who complete approved in-service training.

What This Bill Does

• Provides an $800 annual pay supplement to full-time certified local correctional officers who successfully complete at least 40 hours of in-service training each calendar year, provided the training is appropriate for their rank and responsibility and approved by the Tennessee Corrections Institute.
• Exempts officers from service requirements if they are on active military duty during a conflict or due to death, retirement, or medical disability while serving.
• Sets restrictions on how funds can be used, such as not substituting for regular salary increases or being part of retirement benefits.
• Allows counties to collaborate with the Tennessee Corrections Institute in implementing this program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local correctional officers who complete required training and meet eligibility criteria.
• Tennessee local units of government providing funding for these supplements.
• The Tennessee Corrections Institute, which oversees the implementation of the program.

Terms To Know

local correctional officer

A jail administrator, jailer, deputy sheriff, guard, or correctional officer employed by a local governmental entity in a correctional capacity and certified as such.

in-service training

Training provided to employees after they are hired, designed to keep their skills up-to-date and relevant.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the $800 supplement will be funded beyond stating it comes from institute funds.
• It is unclear what happens if a local correctional officer completes training but then leaves before receiving the supplement due to reasons other than retirement or medical disability.

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that a
local unit of government that requires all full-time certified local correctional officers to complete an in-service training course each calendar year is entitled to receive from the
Tennessee corrections
institute
("institute")
a pay supplement of $800 for each officer each year, to be paid to each officer, in addition to the officer's regular salary, if the training course is
(i) p
rovided or approved by the institute
,
(
ii
)
a
ppropriate to the officer's rank and responsibility and the size and location of
the officer's department
,
and

(
iii
)
a
t least 40 hours in duration.

Certified local correctional officers are eligible for the pay supplement upon successful completion of
40
hours of in-service training.

As used in this
bill, a
"local correctional officer" means a jail administrator, jailer, deputy sheriff, guard, or correctional officer employed by a local governmental entity, solely in a correctional capacity, and certified as a correctional officer with the institute.

This bill provides that a
local correctional officer who has not completed eight months of full-time service during the calendar year is not eligible to receive the salary supplement, except in the case of the death of the officer, retirement, or medical disability. Upon submissi
on of proper documentation by an officer, the institute
must
include time spent in active military service when calculating the required eight months of full-time service.
However,
a local correctional officer who served or serve
s on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during a period of armed conflict prescribed by presidential proclamation or federal law must receive the cash salary supplement provided pursuant to this
bill
, if such service prevented or prevents such local correctional officer from attending the in-service training program authorized pursuant to this
bill.

If a local correctional officer does not complete the required in-service training program due to the death of the officer while in the line of duty, then
this bill requires
the officer's designated beneficiary
to
receive the cash salary supplement provided pursuant to this
bill
despite the failure of the officer to complete the required in-service training.

INSTITUTE FUNDS

This bill requires the
institute funds made available under
the provisions above
to local units of government
to
be received, held, and expended in accordance with
this bill,
including the rules promulgated by the institute, and
all of
the following restrictions:



Funds provided must be used only as a cash salary supplement to local correctional officers
.


Funds provided must not be used to supplant existing salaries or as substitutes for normal salary increases periodically owed to local correctional officers
.


The training pay supplement is a bonus for the successful completion of training and is not considered part of the local correctional officer's salary for a subsequent years' determination of supplemental pay or for retirement purposes
.


Except in the case of retirement or medical disability, a local correctional officer who terminates employment is not eligible to receive the training supplement regardless of completing the required training
.


Local correctional officers certified with the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission and the institute are not eligible for both training supplements.
However, e
mployees designated as support or non-facility support, as defined by the minimum standards of the institute, are not eligible for the training supplement.

COLLABORATION

This bill authorizes a county to
collaborate with and utilize the board of control of the institute

for purposes of carrying out this
bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2373
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 2587
By Jackson
SB2587
010652
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38,
Chapter 8, Part 1 and Title 41, relative to pay
supplements for local correctional officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 7, is amended by adding
the following new section:
(a)
(1) A local unit of government that requires all full-time certified local
correctional officers to complete an in-service training course each calendar year
is entitled to receive from the institute a pay supplement of eight hundred dollars
($800) for each officer each year, to be paid to each officer, in addition to the
officer's regular salary, if the training course is:
(A) Provided or approved by the institute;
(B) Appropriate to the officer's rank and responsibility and the size
and location of the officer's department; and
(C) At least forty (40) hours in duration.
(2) Certified local correctional officers are eligible for the pay supplement
upon successful completion of forty (40) hours of in-service training.
(3) A local correctional officer who has not completed eight (8) months of
full-time service during the calendar year is not eligible to receive the salary
supplement, except in the case of the death of the officer, retirement, or medical
disability. Upon submission of proper documentation by an officer, the institute

- 2 - 010652

shall include time spent in active military service when calculating the required
eight (8) months of full-time service.
(4) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, a local correctional
officer who served or serves on active duty in the armed forces of the United
States during a period of armed conflict prescribed by presidential proclamation
or federal law must receive the cash salary supplement provided pursuant to this
section, if such service prevented or prevents such local correctional officer from
attending the in-service training program authorized pursuant to this section.
(5) If a local correctional officer does not complete the required in-service
training program due to the death of the officer while in the line of duty, then the
officer's designated beneficiary must receive the cash salary supplement
provided pursuant to this section despite the failure of the officer to complete the
required in-service training.
(b) The institute funds made available under subsection (a) to local units of
government must be received, held, and expended in accordance with subsections (a)-
(c), including the rules promulgated by the institute, and the following specific
restrictions:
(1) Funds provided must be used only as a cash salary supplement to
local correctional officers;
(2) Funds provided must not be used to supplant existing salaries or as
substitutes for normal salary increases periodically owed to local correctional
officers;
(3) The training pay supplement is a bonus for the successful completion
of training and is not considered part of the local correctional officer's salary for a
subsequent years' determination of supplemental pay or for retirement purposes;

- 3 - 010652

(4) Except in the case of retirement or medical disability, a local
correctional officer who terminates employment is not eligible to receive the
training supplement regardless of completing the required training; and
(5) Local correctional officers certified with the Tennessee peace officer
standards and training commission and the institute are not eligible for both
training supplements. Employees designated as support or non-facility support,
as defined by the minimum standards of the institute, are not eligible for the
training supplement.
(c) Funds must not be expended under this section unless the funds are
specifically appropriated by the board for the purposes set forth in subsections (a) and
(b).
(d) As used in this section, "local correctional officer" means a jail administrator,
jailer, deputy sheriff, guard, or correctional officer employed by a local governmental
entity, solely in a correctional capacity, and certified as a correctional officer with the
institute.
(e) A county may collaborate with and utilize the board for purposes of carrying
out this section.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.