Mental Illness - As enacted, requires the state to pay the cost of a court-ordered mental health evaluation and treatment for criminal defendants who have been charged with a misdemeanor and are believed to be incompetent to stand trial or for whom there is a question about mental capacity at the time of the offense. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 39 and Title 40.

This bill requires the state to cover the costs of mental health evaluations and treatment for criminal defendants charged with misdemeanors who are deemed incompetent to stand trial or whose mental capacity is in question. While the state assumes financial responsibility, courts retain the authority to order defendants who can afford it to pay all or part of these expenses. Additionally, the legislation mandates that any inpatient evaluations for these misdemeanor defendants be completed within thirty days of admission to the facility. The law amends existing state codes and became effective on July 1, 2024.