SB 2137 Tennessee Senate · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Sentencing - As introduced, requires a defendant to be sentenced to imprisonment for life as a repeat violent offender under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

SB 2137 requires Tennessee courts to sentence defendants as "repeat violent offenders" to life imprisonment if they have three or more prior violent convictions committed on or after July 1, 2026. It defines "violent offenses" to include crimes like aggravated rape, murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, and certain child sexual abuse offenses, with at least two prior convictions needing to be from the most severe listed offenses. This law directly affects individuals convicted of new violent crimes who have prior violent felony convictions meeting the specified criteria. The bill amends Tennessee sentencing statutes to implement this mandatory life sentence requirement for qualifying repeat offenders.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Apr 8, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
2
Committee
4
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/8/2026
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Committee
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Dawn White
Dawn White
RRepublican
TN
13