Criminal Justice

in committee · Tennessee · House May 27, 2026

HB 2079: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates a Class E felony offense when a person, for the purpose of deriving a pecuniary benefit, engages in conduct intended to influence the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event while the person, or another acting in active concert with the person, is a party to a contract traded on a prediction-market by which the person will derive such pecuniary benefit directly from the settlement of that contract based on the occurrence or a nonoccurrence of the event. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 2079 creates a new Class E felony offense for intentionally influencing the outcome of an event (like a sports game or election) while involved in a prediction market contract where you benefit from the result. It directly affects individuals using platforms where people trade bets on future events, such as sports or political outcomes. The law defines "prediction-market" as any platform enabling contracts based on unknown future events. Violating this would be punishable as a Class E felony, with the bill taking effect July 1, 2026, if passed. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new Class E felony for prediction market manipulation, expanding criminalization of betting-related conduct, directly increasing penalties in criminal law.95% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 18, 2026

SB 2030: Sexual Offenders - As enacted, requires sexual offenders and violent sexual offenders to notify the owner or operator of any campground on which the offender intends to stay overnight of the offender's status as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender prior to beginning the stay; creates the offense of knowingly staying overnight at a campground without providing the required notice, which is punished as a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2.

SB 2030 requires sexual offenders and violent sexual offenders to notify campground owners or operators in advance if they plan to stay overnight at a campground. This applies directly to individuals subject to Tennessee's sex offender registration requirements. The bill makes it a Class E felony to stay overnight without providing this notice, punishable under existing legal penalties. The law amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2, and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by creating a new Class E felony for non-notification at campgrounds, increasing penalties for sex offenders. Aligns with 'oppose' indicator: expands criminalization.85% confidence

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2026

SB 1909: Courts - As enacted, removes a conviction for domestic assault from the definition of a violent offender for purposes of drug treatment courts; changes the definition of a violent offender for purposes of drug treatment courts from an offender with a conviction for an offense involving certain acts to an offender with a conviction for a felony offense involving certain acts within the previous 10 years. - Amends TCA Title 16, Chapter 22.

SB 1909 changes eligibility rules for Tennessee's drug treatment courts by revising the definition of a "violent offender." It removes convictions for domestic assault from being considered a violent offense that disqualifies someone from these courts, while requiring that a disqualifying violent offense must now be a felony committed within the past 10 years. This means individuals previously barred due to a domestic assault conviction (but without a recent felony violent offense) may now qualify for drug treatment court instead of standard criminal sentencing. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-22-103 and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves domestic assault convictions from violent offender definition for drug treatment courts, expanding eligibility for rehabilitation programs and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves domestic assault conviction barrier for drug treatment courts, improving access to substance abuse healthcare services.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Sentencing Violent Crime

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 1955: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, defines "criminally negligent conduct,” as used in the offense of criminally negligent homicide, to include failing or refusing to render aid to another person who is unconscious or in need of medical care and the person failing to act knows or reasonably should know that the unconsciousness or need for medical care occurred after the consumption of any controlled substance. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 1955 amends Tennessee's criminally negligent homicide law to define "criminally negligent conduct" as including failing to render aid to someone unconscious or needing medical care after controlled substance use, when the bystander knows or should know about the substance connection. It directly affects individuals who witness medical emergencies involving drugs but choose not to assist. The key provision expands the criminal definition to cover such inaction, making it a specific element of the offense. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to cases involving controlled substances as defined in Tennessee law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by making bystander inaction in drug-related medical emergencies a criminally negligent offense, increasing liability under negligent homicide law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 1736: Sentencing - As introduced, increases the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony; increases the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident that the person knew or should reasonably have known resulted in death from a Class E felony to a Class D felony. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10.

SB 1736 (the "James Bardsley Life Protection Act") raises penalties for drivers who flee accident scenes. It upgrades the penalty for leaving an accident causing injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. For accidents where death was known or should have been known, it increases the penalty from a Class E felony to a Class D felony. The bill directly affects drivers who fail to stop after collisions, amending Tennessee law in Titles 39 and 55, and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for fleeing accident scenes, expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing per bill language, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 1845: Clerks, Court - As enacted, requires a person ordered to use an ignition interlock device to provide the clerk of the court with documentation showing qualifications for certain assistance on the date the person was ordered to use the device to show need to participate in the electronic monitoring indigency fund. - Amends TCA Section 55-10-419.

SB 1845 requires people ordered to use an ignition interlock device (for DUI offenses) to provide the court clerk with documentation proving they qualify for financial assistance from specific state or federal programs on the date they were ordered to use the device. This applies directly to individuals facing financial barriers to accessing ignition interlock services. The bill adds a mechanism where the state treasurer must work with agencies to verify eligibility through memoranda of understanding, and providers must submit this documentation to the state treasurer. It does not change eligibility criteria but streamlines verification for the electronic monitoring indigency fund.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves financial barriers for DUI offenders to access ignition interlock services, promoting equitable compliance with court orders and reducing recidivism risk.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 1538: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, increases the penalty for knowingly using an unmanned aircraft over any portion of a property that includes a correctional facility from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class C felony; authorizes a correctional facility employee to disable an unmanned aircraft that is operating over property that includes a correctional facility and states that the correctional facility and the correctional facility employee are not liable for damage to the unmanned aircraft as a result of being disabled. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 1538 increases penalties for knowingly flying drones over correctional facilities in Tennessee, raising the offense from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class C felony. The bill directly affects drone operators who fly unmanned aircraft near prisons, with correctional facility employees authorized to disable such drones without liability for damage. Key provisions include the felony penalty for violations and explicit protection for facilities/employees who disable drones operating over correctional property. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for drone flights over prisons from misdemeanor to felony, expanding criminalization without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2001: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, adds as an affirmative defense to the offense of criminal exposure of another to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), proof by a preponderance of the evidence that a person infected with HIV was in compliance with a treatment regime prescribed by the person's healthcare provider to medically suppress the risk of HIV transmission. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

HB 2001 modifies Tennessee's criminal law for HIV exposure by adding a new defense for people with HIV who are charged with criminal exposure. If a person with HIV can prove they were following their healthcare provider's prescribed treatment to medically suppress transmission risk, this becomes a valid defense in court. The defense must be proven by showing it is more likely than not true (a "preponderance of evidence"). This directly affects individuals with HIV facing criminal charges related to potential exposure, changing how such cases are evaluated under current law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAdds defense for HIV+ individuals complying with treatment, reducing criminal charges for non-transmission, aligns with reform by protecting defendant rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · House May 27, 2026

HB 1951: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, enacts the "Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026." - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 1951 creates a new Class D felony offense called "coercive suicide" for AI owners whose systems advise or encourage a user to commit suicide after the user has communicated suicidal intent. It specifically targets AI systems (including chatbots and generative AI) that generate content like text or images, requiring owners to know or reasonably foresee the risk and negligently allow access. The law applies only to AI entities, not human interactions, and takes effect July 1, 2026. This is a policy change focused on holding AI developers accountable for dangerous system outputs, not general suicide prevention.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for AI suicide encouragement, expanding criminalization without addressing reform areas like sentencing or oversight.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates AI owners to prevent harmful content, aligning with consumer protection in tech policy through new criminal liability for negligent AI systems.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 1631: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, increases the penalty for knowingly using an unmanned aircraft over any portion of a property that includes a correctional facility from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class C felony; authorizes a correctional facility employee to disable an unmanned aircraft that is operating over property that includes a correctional facility and states that the correctional facility and the correctional facility employee are not liable for damage to the unmanned aircraft as a result of being disabled. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 1631 increases penalties for knowingly operating drones over correctional facilities in Tennessee, raising the offense from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony. It directly affects drone operators near prisons and authorizes correctional facility employees to disable such drones without liability for damage. Key provisions include amending criminal penalties to classify drone use over correctional properties as a felony and explicitly protecting facilities and staff from legal claims when disabling drones. The bill focuses on enhancing security at correctional facilities by strengthening consequences for unauthorized drone activity.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases drone penalties to felony, expanding criminalization of minor offenses near correctional facilities without reform focus.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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