HB 1353 creates a new Class E felony offense for threatening or harming individuals involved in the judicial process (such as witnesses, judges, court staff, prosecutors, public defenders, or jurors) or their family members, specifically when done to interfere with, intimidate, or retaliate against their participation in court proceedings. It directly affects anyone who targets these judicial participants with threatening or harmful acts to disrupt their work. The law defines "family member" broadly (including spouses, parents, children, and siblings) and "judicial participant" to cover key court personnel and legal professionals. This bill amends Tennessee law to strengthen protections for those supporting the justice system, effective July 1, 2025.
HB 787 creates a study committee to examine the feasibility of implementing a "distance to drive" program for DUI offenders in Tennessee. This program would allow individuals with suspended or revoked driver licenses - due to DUI convictions - to have their licenses reinstated by meeting court objectives and completing requirements set by the Department of Safety. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections (16, 39, 40, 55) to establish this committee and adjust a license reinstatement deadline. It does not create the program itself but studies whether it could be implemented to help DUI defendants regain driving privileges.
HB 34 (Tennessee) changes how juvenile court records can be used in adult criminal cases. It permits courts to include juvenile records (like case outcomes and evidence) in pretrial reports used to set bond for certain criminal offenses. The bill also requires judges to consider a defendant's prior juvenile record when assessing their risk of harming the community. This directly affects individuals with past juvenile court involvement who face adult criminal charges, altering how their history influences bond decisions.
HB 322 creates a new criminal offense of "human smuggling" under Tennessee law, directly affecting individuals who transport people across borders for financial gain while concealing them from authorities. The bill defines human smuggling as transporting 10+ adults or 5+ minors (knowing they entered the U.S. illegally) to avoid detection by law enforcement, or encouraging such entry. It classifies this as a Class E felony, punishable by up to 6 years in prison, and adds misdemeanor penalties for harboring individuals who entered the U.S. illegally. The law also grants the state attorney general authority to seek court orders dissolving organizations involved in trafficking or smuggling.
SB 392 creates a new Class E felony offense for "human smuggling" in Tennessee, defined as knowingly transporting 10+ adults or 5+ minors across state lines while concealing them from immigration authorities, with knowledge they entered the U.S. illegally. It also establishes a Class A misdemeanor for harboring undocumented immigrants (a $1,000 fine per person). The law amends Tennessee Code to include human smuggling under "human trafficking offenses" and grants the Attorney General authority to seek court orders dissolving organizations involved in these crimes. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 30 creates new misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee, primarily targeting individuals who intentionally provide false names to law enforcement during lawful detention or arrest (Section 4). It also prohibits transporting people in the enclosed cargo area of box trucks (defined as vehicles without passenger seats/safety belts) and restricts approaching within 25 feet of officers performing duties after being ordered to stop (Sections 5-6). Additionally, the bill bans unauthorized signage on bridges/highways without maintenance entity permission (Section 7) and amends procedures for police citations (Sections 8-9). These changes directly affect people detained by police, drivers using box trucks for passengers, and individuals placing signage on public infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 370 expands Tennessee's harassment law to include in-person communication as a criminal offense, not just written, phone, or electronic contact. The bill amends state law to define "communicate" broadly, covering physical presence interactions (like shouting or gestures face-to-face), verbal exchanges, and digital messages. This change directly affects individuals who engage in harassment through direct physical interactions, making such conduct punishable under existing harassment statutes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, updating how harassment is legally defined without altering penalties.
HB 40 requires Tennessee's TACIR (Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations) to study two specific areas of juvenile justice: (1) the availability of local detention centers and treatment facilities for juveniles detained before court hearings, and (2) the availability of housing and treatment facilities for juveniles found delinquent and placed in state care. The study must determine if additional facilities are needed for either group and assess current resources. TACIR must report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2026, using existing resources. This bill is procedural, directing a study rather than implementing new policies or changing facility standards.
HB 1371 clarifies that distributing a private, intimate image of another identifiable person with intent to cause emotional distress constitutes unlawful exposure, regardless of whether the distributor was part of the original private agreement. This bill directly affects individuals who share such images without consent, including those who obtained them through private arrangements. The key change removes the previous requirement that the distributor must have been a party to the original private understanding, making it a crime to distribute these images whenever the intent is to cause emotional distress. The law amends Tennessee Code § 39-17-318(a)(1) and takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 1299, the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act," creates a civil legal remedy for individuals whose non-consensual intimate digital images or videos - whether AI-generated deepfakes or manipulated real likenesses - are shared without their consent. It directly affects victims of such disclosures and those who distribute them, requiring explicit written consent for disclosure (not just creation) and defining "intimate digital depictions" to include explicit images of identifiable people. Key provisions allow victims to sue for up to $150,000 in liquidated damages, actual damages for emotional harm, or recovery of the defendant’s profits, plus attorney fees. Exceptions cover disclosures made in good faith to law enforcement or during legal proceedings, while courts may grant anonymity to plaintiffs.
