Bill > SB1686

This bill establishes a performance-based contracting program for the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) when contracting with entities to operate prison facilities. Under this program, 25% of the total funds appropriated to a contractor for operating a prison will be contingent upon yearly improvements in a set of defined performance measures. These measures include factors like staff turnover, offender completion of orientation, preventable offender deaths, sexual violence incidents, participation in rehabilitation programs, health care access for offenders, and recidivism rates (the rate at which released offenders re-offend). The TDOC must develop this program within six months, and all new or renewed contracts will need to include provisions for it. The Comptroller of the Treasury's Division of State Audit will conduct quarterly audits to ensure the program is implemented correctly, and these audit findings will be made public. The program's design will prioritize improvements in recidivism and inmate safety, with specific allocation percentages for these areas increasing over time. The TDOC will also be required to collect and maintain data to track these performance measures and will use an external evaluator to conduct a rigorous, independent assessment of the program's progress and outcomes.