Giving families a voice: Lawmakers push family advisory board for Tennessee inmates

By: Sam Stockard

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: March 18, 2026

Words: 848

Last Updated: 2 days, 19 hours ago

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Tennessee lawmakers are moving to create a family advisory board to hear prison safety complaints amid concerns about extortion and inmate deaths.

Republican Sen. Tom Hatcher of Maryville said Tuesday 35 inmates have died in state prisons since January as he introduced Senate Bill 2531, a measure designed to give inmates’ family members a stronger voice in prison safety, communication and policies for re-entering society. The measure received a 9-0 vote in the Senate …

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