Subcommittee approves bill to regulate prison canteen pricing if facilities choose to implement it

House Bill 3929, filed by Representative John King, received a unanimous favorable report from the Domestic Relations Business and Probate Law Subcommittee after the sponsor told members the bill seeks to limit excessive pricing in correctional canteens.

Representative John King said he filed the bill because he believes "there's price gouging within the system, in the canteens," and that the legislation "just puts, where they cannot exceed a certain amount." King described accounts from family members of incarcerated persons who face high prices for basic items.

A committee member clarified that the bill does not compel facilities to operate canteens; rather, if a warden or facility elects to permit canteen operations, the statute would regulate pricing and operation terms. The member summarized the draft as permissive: it "would be up to the warden or whoever manages that prison itself. They would make the decision as to whether or not this goes in, but if they do allow it, this is just a regulation of how it will be operated and maintained." That exchange was entered into the record before the roll-call vote.

The subcommittee recorded five "aye" votes (Bernstein, Calhoun, Guest, King and Martin) and issued a favorable report, sending the bill to the next stage of consideration.

The transcript does not include specific price caps or the statutory language setting maximum amounts; it records the sponsor's intent to cap prices and clarifies the bill would apply only where a facility elects to implement canteen operations.