SB 478 requires Tennessee colleges and universities to provide eligible campus police officers and public safety officers with an annual $800 cash bonus for completing required in-service training. The bill also ensures officers who served in active military duty during designated conflicts (and were unable to attend training due to service) receive the bonus regardless of training completion. This applies to officers at institutions covered under Tennessee’s campus law enforcement statutes. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 336 changes Tennessee's voting rights laws by removing permanent voting bans for people convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated rape, treason, or voter fraud. It updates the child support requirement from "being current in all obligations" to "compliant with all current child support orders" (allowing those with past arrears to regain voting rights). The bill also adds a 3-year waiting period after sentence completion for those convicted of the specified crimes before they can petition to restore voting rights. This directly affects individuals with these specific convictions who were previously barred from voting indefinitely.
HB 679 increases compensation for healthcare providers who perform forensic exams on sexual assault victims from $1,000 to $2,500 per exam, directly affecting providers who bill the criminal injuries compensation fund. It also requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to complete DNA or serology analysis on sexual assault evidence kits within 120 days of receiving them from law enforcement, with specific procedures for delays. The bill sets a July 1, 2025 effective date for both provisions, applying to exams performed and kits received after that date. These changes aim to improve compensation for medical providers and streamline forensic evidence processing in sexual assault cases.
SB 2014, the "Tennessee Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education Act" (Trixtian's Law), protects pregnant and postpartum individuals in Tennessee's criminal justice system. It prohibits using pregnancy-related medical information (like test results or treatment disclosures) as evidence in criminal cases and prevents criminal charges based on pregnancy outcomes. The bill requires correctional facilities to report annual data on incarcerated pregnant people, births, and health outcomes while maintaining confidentiality, and mandates expeditious transfers for pregnant individuals to state custody. It also grants immunity to facilities for pregnancy outcomes and ensures pregnancy testing access within 72 hours.
SB 186 increases state payments to counties for housing convicted felons by raising the accreditation stipend per inmate. This directly affects counties that operate local jails or hold inmates under state supervision. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections (including Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 29, 38, 39, 40, and 41) to implement this payment increase. The change became law on June 4, 2025, after passing through legislative committees.
HB 577 increases the state-funded stipend that eligible counties receive for housing each convicted felon in county facilities. This change directly affects counties operating correctional facilities, providing them with additional state funding per inmate. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee law (TCA Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 29, 38, 39, 40, and 41) to adjust the stipend amount. It was signed into law in May 2025 and takes effect on July 1, 2025.
SB 693 increases penalties for certain child abuse offenses in Tennessee. It upgrades the punishment for knowingly causing injury to a child aged 9-17 from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This change directly affects individuals convicted of such abuse, making the offense a felony charge. The bill amends Tennessee Code sections in Titles 36, 37, 39, and 40 and takes effect July 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after that date.
HB 524 allows eligible veterans facing criminal charges in Tennessee to request transferring their case to Montgomery County's veterans treatment court program under specific conditions. The bill affects veterans who meet the program's jurisdictional criteria (as if the crime occurred in Montgomery County), require a written waiver of their right to a jury trial in their home county, and have the Montgomery County District Attorney General agree to the transfer. Key provisions amend Tennessee law to permit this transfer process for contiguous counties with populations between 220,000-220,100 (based on 2020 census data), which Montgomery County satisfies. This creates a new procedural pathway for veterans to access specialized treatment courts instead of standard criminal proceedings. The bill became effective May 21, 2025, after Governor's approval.
SB 289 creates a legal presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in law enforcement officers and emergency medical responders (EMTs) is work-related if it results from responding to specific incidents, making it automatically eligible for workers' compensation coverage. This directly affects those first responders by streamlining their claims process without requiring separate proof of work connection. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 7-51-206 and 50-6-101 to replace "firefighter" with "law enforcement officer or emergency medical responder" throughout the relevant workers' compensation provisions. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to claims for PTSD incurred while performing official duties.
SB 505 allows veterans facing criminal charges in Tennessee to request transferring their case to a veterans treatment court in a neighboring county (like Montgomery County, which has a population of 220,000-220,100 per census). It directly affects eligible veterans who qualify for veterans treatment court in the new county and must agree to waive their right to a jury trial in their original county. The transfer requires three conditions: the receiving court would have jurisdiction if the crime occurred there, the defendant signs a written waiver, and the district attorney general for the new county consents. This bill amends Tennessee law to expand access to veterans treatment courts across qualifying contiguous counties.
