BILL AS INTRODUCED H.294
2025 Page 1 of 5
VT LEG #380918 v.2
H.294 1
Introduced by Representatives Headrick of Burlington, Carris-Duncan of 2
Whitingham, Chapin of East Montpelier, Logan of Burlington, 3
and McCann of Montpelier 4
Referred to Committee on 5
Date: 6
Subject: Public institutions and corrections; commissary; telecommunications; 7
State contracts; labor; employment practices; minimum wage 8
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to ensure that 9
incarcerated individuals are provided communications services at no expense. 10
This bill also proposes to require the Department of Corrections to evaluate its 11
contracts with Global Tel Link Corporation and the Keefe Group. This bill 12
also proposes to require that incarcerated individuals receive at least federal 13
minimum wage. 14
An act relating to commissary and telecommunications prices in State 15
correctional facilities and fair compensation for incarcerated labor 16
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 17
Sec. 1. 28 V.S.A. § 802a is amended to read: 18
§ 802a. TELEPHONE USE; DEBIT AND COLLECT CALL SYSTEMS 19
OTHER COMMUNICATION SERVICES 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.294
2025 Page 2 of 5
VT LEG #380918 v.2
(a) Upon admittance to a correctional facility, the inmate shall within 24 1
hours be allowed access to a telephone for outgoing telephone calls at the no 2
expense of to the inmate. 3
(b) An inmate shall be allowed easy access in placing collect telephone 4
calls at no expense upon admission to a correctional facility under reasonable 5
conditions determined by the Commissioner, unless the inmate has been 6
prohibited under provisions of section 853 of this title regarding punishment 7
for a breach of the rules and regulations of the correctional facility in which an 8
inmate is confined. 9
(c) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to 10
receive telephone calls, the inmate shall be provided the option of using a debit 11
or collect call a system to place such calls at no expense to the inmate. Under 12
the debit system, the inmate shall pay for telephone service at the time of use, 13
and the cost of such service will be automatically deducted from an account 14
maintained by the inmate for that purpose. 15
(d) Any contract to provide telephone or other communication services to 16
inmates in State correctional facilities shall be negotiated and awarded in a 17
manner that provides for the lowest reasonable no cost to inmates, to their 18
families, and to others communicating with inmates. 19
(e) The Department may supplement telephone use with other 20
communication services, including video and electronic communication 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.294
2025 Page 3 of 5
VT LEG #380918 v.2
services, provided that any other communication service shall be offered at no 1
expense to the inmate. 2
Sec. 2. 28 V.S.A. § 820 is added to read: 3
§ 820. COMMISSARY 4
Any contract to provide commissary services to inmates in State 5
correctional facilities shall be negotiated and awarded in a manner that 6
provides that prices shall be set so as not to exceed by more than 10 percent the 7
fair market value for comparable products sold in the community where the 8
facility is located. 9
Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; EV ALUATION OF 10
CONTRACTS 11
On or before January 1, 2026, the Department of Corrections shall evaluate 12
its contracts with Global Tel Link Corporation and the Keefe Group and report 13
to the General Assembly on whether: 14
(1) each vendor offers its services or products to incarcerated 15
individuals at prices substantially higher than applicable to comparable 16
services or products offered in the community where the facility is located; and 17
(2) each vendor offers its services or products to incarcerated 18
individuals at prices substantially higher than offered by competing vendors. 19
Sec. 4. 28 V.S.A. § 751b is amended to read: 20
§ 751b. GENERAL PROVISIONS GOVERNING OFFENDER WORK 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.294
2025 Page 4 of 5
VT LEG #380918 v.2
* * * 1
(b) An offender shall not be required to engage in unreasonable labor or to 2
perform any work for which he or she the offender is declared unfit by a 3
physician employed or retained by the Department. 4
(c)(1) The Commissioner shall establish written guidelines governing the 5
hours and conditions of offender work, and the rates of compensation of 6
offenders for employment. An offender shall be compensated at a rate that is 7
equal to or greater than the federal minimum wage unless a different wage is 8
required for the offender’s position pursuant to federal law. 9
(2) Wage payments of offenders shall be set aside in a separate fund. 10
(3) The guidelines of the Department may provide for the making of 11
deductions from wages of offenders to defray part or all of the cost of offender 12
maintenance or payments to victims of crime. The guidelines may also 13
provide for the setting aside by the Department of a portion of an offender’s 14
wages to enable the offender to contribute to the support of his or her the 15
offender’s dependents, if any,; to make necessary purchases from a 16
commissary,; to purchase approved books, instruments, and instruction not 17
supplied by a correctional facility,; and to set aside sums to be paid to the 18
offender upon release from the custody or supervision of the Commissioner. 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.294
2025 Page 5 of 5
VT LEG #380918 v.2
(4) Any interest that accrues from these wages during the period of such 1
custody of an offender shall be credited to any fund maintained by the 2
correctional facility for the welfare of offenders. 3
* * * 4
Sec. 5. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAGE POLICIES; UPDATE 5
On or before January 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Corrections shall update 6
all Department of Corrections policies relating to inmate wages to comply with 7
the requirements of 28 V.S.A. § 751b. 8
Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE 9
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 10