Purchases from State Industries

Under T.C.A. §§ 41-22-119 through 41-22-122, state and local government agencies are required to purchase all items produced, re-packaged, assembled, warehoused or manufactured by inmates in the Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction (TRICOR) program if the articles have been certified by the board of standards as being of satisfactory quality, reasonably priced, and available. TRICOR publishes and distributes annually a catalogue of products containing the description of all articles and supplies produced by it, and this catalog identifies the articles that are certified by the board of standards. State and local agencies may not evade the intent of the law by slight variations from standards adopted by TRICOR when articles have been certified. Continued intentional violations, after notice from the governor, constitute wrongdoing in office and may subject the officers or agents responsible for the violation to suspension or removal from office.