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Senate orders third reading of corrections telecom and wages bill after committee report; CoreCivic inclusion draws questions
Summary
Senator Major presented H.294, directing the Department of Corrections to study options for no‑cost phone services, evaluate inmate wage structures and report back by 2026‑12‑01; a senator questioned why CoreCivic was listed among stakeholders and raised concerns about for‑profit involvement.
Senator Major, reporting for the Senate Committee on Institutions, presented H.294, an act directing the Department of Corrections to assess telecommunication services and inmate wages in Vermont correctional facilities and to produce reports to the Legislature to inform future policy.
Major said the bill ‘‘does not immediately mandate sweeping operational changes’’ but requires the department to evaluate alternatives such as nonprofit providers or regulated utility models and to analyze fiscal and operational implications. Under the bill, the Department of Corrections must also examine how inmate wages interact with the ability to afford phone services and commissary items, and the department is required to broadly engage stakeholders in drafting the reports. The presentation specified a report due date of 12/01/2026.
During floor questioning, a senator from Chittenden asked why CoreCivic — a national for‑profit corrections operator — appeared on the stakeholder list when Vermont operates state facilities. The senator said, "CoreCivic's goal is to make a profit, and I don't think that we should be engaging in making profit off of locking people up," expressing concern about including industry actors whose motive is profit. Senator Major responded that the committee sought input from a broad set of stakeholders, including private operators who may have relevant operational knowledge, even if they do not currently operate in Vermont.
The Senate ordered H.294 to be read a third time. Senators also asked whether testimony included current inmate wage levels; Major said testimony had been taken and that the committee would provide specific wage information at third reading.
