HB 1409 is Tennessee's enacted state budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, authorizing funding for all state government operations. It allocates specific amounts to the legislative branch (including $33.6 million for the House of Representatives), judicial systems (covering courts, legal aid, and court services), and executive agencies (such as the Attorney General's office). The bill details funding for routine functions like salaries, court operations, and public services, without creating new policies or programs. It became law on May 21, 2025, and takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 1346, the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act," creates a civil legal remedy for individuals whose intimate digital images or videos (including deepfakes) are shared without consent. It directly affects people who have had non-consensual intimate depictions - such as images showing genitals, sexual fluids, or explicit acts - disclosed online or otherwise. The law allows victims to sue for $150,000 in liquidated damages, actual damages, or punitive damages, and seek court orders to stop further disclosure. It defines key terms like "deepfakes" and clarifies that consent for creating the image does not cover its sharing, while allowing exceptions for law enforcement or good-faith disclosures. The law took effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 748 increases the mandatory amount of court costs collected in municipal court cases that must be forwarded to the state treasurer from $1.00 to $2.00 per case. This change directly affects municipal court clerks, who will now send an additional $1.00 per case to the state. The funds must be used exclusively by the Administrative Office of the Courts to cover expenses for training and continuing education programs for municipal court judges and clerks. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections and takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 650 requires Tennessee sheriffs to accept surrenders of criminal defendants on pretrial release from bail bondsmen or sureties, rather than allowing sheriffs to refuse such surrenders without explanation. The bill mandates this acceptance pending a court hearing to determine if the bail company had "good cause" for the surrender. This directly affects bail bondsmen, sheriffs, and defendants who are out on pretrial release. The key provision replaces the current discretion of sheriffs with a requirement for mandatory acceptance before a court evaluates the reasonableness of the surrender.
HB 797 requires Tennessee juvenile courts to hold child custody, detention, and court hearings in a dedicated courtroom located as close as possible to an approved juvenile detention facility in the same county. This applies to counties that operate an approved detention center for juveniles under court jurisdiction. The law aims to reduce humiliation for children by minimizing unnecessary transportation, which can involve public exposure and restraints during court transfers. It does not change existing rules about confidentiality or the use of audio-visual technology in juvenile proceedings.
SB 324, known as "Savanna's Law," creates a public online registry maintained by Tennessee's Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for individuals convicted of two or more domestic violence offenses against the same victim. It requires courts to forward qualifying conviction details to the TBI within seven days, listing offenders' names, dates of birth, conviction dates, and counties - while excluding sensitive information like addresses or Social Security numbers. Offenders must pay a $150 registration fee ($50 to the court, $100 to the TBI), and names are removed from the registry after 2-10 years based on prior offenses. The law applies to offenses occurring on or after January 1, 2026, and aims to enhance public awareness of repeat domestic violence offenders.
HB 1251 amends Tennessee law to allow courts to waive application fees for individuals seeking to restore their citizenship rights after a criminal conviction. Currently, applicants must pay these costs unless a court specifically orders otherwise; this bill changes the default rule to explicitly permit courts to exempt applicants from fees. The bill directly affects people with past convictions who are working to regain full citizenship rights through court processes. It modifies Tennessee Code Sections 40-29-104 (and related sections) to clarify that courts may order fee waivers as part of the application procedure. The change applies to court orders issued after the bill's effective date.
SB 1232 allows individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in Tennessee to petition for the removal of their conviction from their criminal record after meeting specific conditions. To qualify, a person must have completed all sentence requirements (including fines, probation, and restitution) for the DUI offense, not have received prior expunctions, and not have been convicted of DUI more than once. The bill creates a new eligibility pathway for DUI expunctions, requiring the offense to be at least 10 years old from the date of conviction and limiting petitions to one per person. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies only to DUI convictions under Tennessee law § 55-10-401.
HB 1025 requires courts to suspend a minor’s driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver’s license for one year when a minor is found delinquent for acts that would be classified as harassment by bullying or cyberbullying under Tennessee law. This applies to all juvenile court dispositions for such offenses committed on or after July 1, 2025. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 39-17-308(d)(2), 37, 39, and 55-10-700 to mandate this suspension as part of standard sentencing. It directly affects minors convicted of bullying or cyberbullying offenses in juvenile court, adding a driving restriction to their court-ordered consequences.
SB 170 requires Tennessee courts to suspend a minor's driving privileges or driver's license for one year when a juvenile is found delinquent for an act that would be considered harassment through bullying or cyberbullying. This policy change directly affects minors convicted of these specific offenses, adding a mandatory driving suspension to their court disposition. The bill amends Tennessee law (Title 37, 39, and 55) to implement this requirement, effective July 1, 2025. It does not create new offenses but modifies existing juvenile court sentencing options for bullying and cyberbullying cases.
