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Subcommittee reports favorably on bill to cap prison canteen prices; permissive, not mandatory, for wardens
Summary
House Bill 3,929 would set maximum prices for items sold in Department of Corrections canteens; the subcommittee gave the bill a favorable report 5-0 after brief discussion clarifying the measure is permissive and would not require canteens where none exist.
The Domestic Relations Business and Probate Law Subcommittee on Thursday gave a favorable report to House Bill 3,929, a measure intended to set maximum prices for items sold in Department of Corrections canteens.
Representative John King, the bill’s sponsor, told the subcommittee he introduced the bill after receiving complaints from family members of incarcerated people who said canteen items appear overpriced. “I believe that there’s price gouging within the system, in the canteens, and this just puts, where they cannot exceed a certain amount,” King said.
Representative David Martin asked whether the bill would require prisons to operate canteens. King responded that the bill is permissive: a warden or prison manager would decide whether to offer a canteen, and only if a facility operates a canteen would the pricing limits apply. The subcommittee did not record other amendments or outside testimony.
By roll call, Representatives Bernstein, Paula Calhoun, Guest, John King and David Martin voted “aye” and the subcommittee’s favorable report was 5-0. The committee record did not specify what price caps would be or include implementing regulations; the measure as discussed would regulate pricing where a warden elects to permit a canteen.
