Senate Bill 2444 Summary

• Expands the Mississippi Prison Industries work initiative from Central Mississippi Correctional Facility to all state, regional, and private correctional facilities under Department of Corrections jurisdiction, with each facility limited to 25 inmates maximum.

• Establishes inmate eligibility requirements: no more than 2 years remaining on sentence, no conviction under escape statute within last 5 years, and no sex offense convictions.

• Requires wage distribution of 25% for court-ordered support/restitution, 15% to the facility for administrative costs, 50% into savings account for release, and 10% for incidental expenses.

• Mandates semiannual reporting to PEER and Corrections oversight task force beginning January 15, 2025, with detailed data on participants, earnings, recidivism, and program operations.

• Removes the automatic repealer on the prison industries program, making it permanent rather than expiring July 1, 2024.