Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee advances H.B. 294 requiring DOC studies on no‑cost phone service and inmate wages
Summary
The House Corrections & Institutions Committee voted unanimously to pass draft 2.1 of H.B. 294, directing the Department of Corrections to evaluate options for providing no‑cost telecommunication services to people in its custody and to produce a wage‑impact valuation report; both reports are due by Dec. 1, 2026.
The House Corrections & Institutions Committee on March 12 voted unanimously to pass draft 2.1 of House Bill 294, sending the measure out of committee after adding language that directs the Department of Corrections to study options for providing no‑cost telecommunication services to people in the department’s custody and to complete a separate wage‑impact valuation.
John Gray, Office of Legend of Council, told the committee the amendment is a strike‑all that narrows the bill’s focus to commissary and telecommunications prices in state correctional facilities and fair compensation for incarcerated labor. "This is a strikeall amendment to H294, which is an act relating to commissary and telecommunications prices in state correctional facilities and fair compensation for incarcerated labor," Gray said as he walked members through the new draft.
Why this matters: supporters said the two studies will give legislators the data needed to assess whether subsidizing communications or adjusting…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
