Criminal Offenses - As enacted, enacts the "Back the Blue Act," which increases the penalty for assault against a law enforcement officer from a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum 30-day sentence and $5,000 fine to a Class E felony with a mandatory minimum 60-day sentence and $10,000 fine. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

This bill, known as the "Back the Blue Act," increases the penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers in Tennessee by upgrading the charge from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. Under the new rules, anyone convicted of attacking a police officer, highway patrol agent, or other designated law enforcement official faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 60 days and a $10,000 fine. The legislation distinguishes these offenses from assaults against other first responders like firefighters or nurses, which remain Class A misdemeanors with a 30-day minimum sentence and a $5,000 fine. Additionally, the bill clarifies the legal definition of "law enforcement officer" to include various state and local agencies while excluding firefighters and emergency medical personnel from this specific category.