This bill authorizes Tennessee's community colleges and colleges of applied technology to contract and partner with local governments for the purpose of providing educational and workforce development programs to assist with reducing recidivism rates of criminal offenders held in local correctional facilities and improving opportunities for successful reentry upon release from incarceration.
This bill authorizes the board of regents to contract with sheriffs' departments or other officials or departments charged with oversight of a county jail or workhouse for the purpose of developing reentry programs to reduce the recidivism rate of felons and increase the likelihood of successful reintegration into society following release.
This bill authorizes a county to agree, for a determinate period of time, pursuant to an interlocal agreement that relates to the joint development or operation of a transition center. Any amounts contributed to a transition center pursuant to an agreement entered pursuant to this bill are revenues of the transition center that may be used for any lawful purpose of the transition center. This bill defines "transition center" to mean a local correctional facility that assists inmates' crossover from jail or prison life to productive citizenship in order to reduce recidivism.
This bill takes effect January 1, 2022.
ON APRIL 12, 2021, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 240, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 deletes all the provisions of this bill except for the authorization for counties to develop and operate transition centers pursuant to interlocal agreements, as described above in the bill summary.
ON APRIL 22, 2021, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 240 FOR SENATE BILL 489, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 240, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 authorizes a transition center to partner with a nonprofit organization that provides programming designed to reduce recidivism.

Statutes affected:
Current Version: 49-11-404
Amended with HA0203 -- 04/12/2021: 49-11-404
Amended with HA0203, SA0285 -- 04/22/2021: 49-11-404