Committee approves study of reentry facility to assess housing, work-release options for eligible inmates

The State and Local Government Committee on March 19 approved House Bill 1090, directing the Tennessee Department of Corrections to study the construction and operation of a facility to house eligible inmates who are preparing to reenter society.

Representative Gantt, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the study will include criteria for selecting inmates for the facility; an assessment of inmates currently unable to participate in work, educational or vocational programs because of capacity constraints; the optimal time for inmates to enter the facility; evaluation of housing inmates who work during the day and return at night; the resources needed to operate the facility; and an assessment of similar facilities in other states and the costs to construct them. The study will be funded through existing Department of Corrections resources and must be submitted to the speakers of the House and Senate by Jan. 1, 2026.

"By helping eligible inmates reintegrate successfully into society, this bill aims to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and promote successful reentry into communities," Representative Gantt said.

Representative Dixie questioned whether the proposal would duplicate existing work‑release programs and asked who would pay for any new facility. Gantt responded that the committee was considering only a study and that decisions about construction, funding and operational details would be addressed in the study's findings.

The committee voted 17 ayes and 2 nays to move the bill to calendar and rules.

If passed in later stages, the study could inform whether Tennessee pursues construction of a new facility or other program changes to expand reentry, but HB 1090 itself only requires the Department of Corrections to submit the study and does not authorize construction or new appropriations.