Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly

Tennessee SB879: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 3, relative to food assistance.

Status: Chaptered, May 27, 2026

Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 879, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the commissioner of human services to provide the commissioner of correction with a form application for food assistance for use by inmates who are preparing for release. Such an application must include all of the following:  An option for an inmate to indicate that the inmate is declining to apply for food assistance.  Options for an inmate who declines to apply for food assistance to indicate the inmate's reasons for doing so.  The option for an inmate for who wishes to decline to apply for food assistance to do so anonymously.  A provision authorizing a re-entry specialist from a state correctional institution to formally document an inmate's decision not to pursue food assistance benefits by the inmate's refusal to complete the form application. This amendment requires the department of correction to (i) provide each inmate who is preparing for release from incarceration with a copy of the food assistance application and sufficient opportunity and means to complete the application prior to release; and (ii) collect all applications from such inmates and return the completed applications to the department of human services. The commissioner of human services must seek any waivers from the United States department of agriculture that are necessary to provide the food assistance application. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS This amendment requires the commission of correction to submit a written report to the chief clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the legislative librarian that includes data from the previous calendar year on (i) the number of food assistance applications that were completed by inmates