Criminal Justice

signed · Tennessee · House May 27, 2025

HB 45: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, increases the penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony for a person who commits child abuse by knowingly treating a child between 9 and 17 in such a manner as to inflict injury. - Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 45 increases the penalty for child abuse of children aged 9 to 17 from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-15-401(a) to impose this stricter penalty for knowingly causing injury to a child in this age group through abusive treatment. This change will take effect on July 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date. The law directly affects individuals convicted of such child abuse by elevating their criminal penalties under Tennessee statute.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for child abuse from misdemeanor to felony, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing and expanded criminalization.95% confidence

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 1133: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, revises provisions of present law relative to placing certain defendants on a fugitives list for failure to appear. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 49; Title 50; Title 55 and Title 70.

SB 1133 shortens the timeframe for placing defendants on Tennessee's fugitives list after missing a court appearance, reducing it from five days to three days. This directly affects criminal defendants who fail to appear for court dates, accelerating law enforcement's ability to pursue them. The bill specifically amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-16-202(a)(1) to implement this change, impacting how courts handle non-appearances. The law aims to improve efficiency in the criminal justice system by streamlining the fugitives list process.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill reduces defendant's window to address court absence from 5 to 3 days, tightening enforcement and limiting due process rights per TCA 39-16-202(a)(1).90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 721: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, makes assault against school employees a Class E felony offense under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

HB 721 makes assault against school employees a Class E felony when it occurs during their official duties at specific locations: school grounds, school-sponsored activities, school-provided transportation, or official school bus stops. It directly affects K-12 school employees (teachers, staff, and administrators) in both public and private schools across Tennessee. The bill defines "educational employee" broadly to cover all staff working in grades K-12, raising the legal penalty for harming them while they perform job-related tasks. This policy change, effective July 1, 2025, elevates assault offenses from lower-level charges to felony status under these defined circumstances.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeClassifies assault on school employees as Class E felony, increasing mandatory sentencing and criminalization per bill's penalty elevation for specific offenses.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects K-12 school employees by increasing penalties for assault during official duties, enhancing safety for educators in educational settings.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects school employees' workplace safety by elevating assault penalties during duties, advancing labor safety standards for K-12 staff across Tennessee.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime K-12 Education School Safety School Transportation

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 433: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, expands the offense of unlawful exposure to include the distribution, with the intent to cause emotional distress, of an image of the intimate parts of another identifiable person or an image of an identifiable person engaged in sexually explicit conduct and the image was created or modified by means of a computer software program, artificial intelligence application, or other digital editing tools. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 433 amends Tennessee's unlawful exposure law to specifically criminalize distributing digitally altered intimate images of identifiable people. The bill directly affects individuals who create or share such images using digital tools like AI or photo editing software, with intent to cause emotional distress. Key provisions expand the offense to cover images "created or modified by means of a computer software program, artificial intelligence application, or other digital editing tools" when shared without consent. This makes it illegal to distribute these digitally manipulated images under circumstances where privacy was expected. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands unlawful exposure law to criminalize AI-modified intimate images, increasing criminalization of digital image distribution with intent to cause distress.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCriminalizes AI-altered intimate image distribution, enhancing data privacy protections against tech-enabled harassment and digital misuse.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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signed · Tennessee · House May 27, 2025

HB 1314: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence; creates the criminal offense of posting on a publicly accessible website the telephone number or home address of an individual with the intent to cause harm or a threat of harm to the individual or a member of the individual's family or household. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3.

HB 1314 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee. First, it makes it a felony (Class E or D depending on circumstances) to recklessly threaten mass violence (defined as an act likely to cause serious harm to four or more people), especially if targeting schools, government buildings, or events. Second, it creates a misdemeanor (Class B or A) for posting someone’s home address or phone number online with the intent to cause harm to them or their family. The law applies to all individuals, including threats made via social media or text, but excludes public officials acting within their legal duties. Violators may face prison time and be ordered to pay restitution for disruptions caused by their threats.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by creating new offenses for threats and doxxing, increasing penalties without reform elements or protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Victims' Rights

died · Tennessee · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 1273: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, clarifies, for purposes of criminal offenses relative to threats of mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity or failing to report such threats, that a threat of mass violence is credible if the threat causes another to reasonably expect the commission of an act of mass violence. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 1273 creates a new felony charge for recklessly threatening mass violence against child care centers, preschools, or religious institutions, and a misdemeanor for failing to report such threats. The law requires immediate reporting of threats to both local law enforcement and the affected institution, with specific details needed in the report. Violators face penalties including up to 6 years in prison for the felony threat and up to 6 months for failing to report. The bill defines "property" to include buildings and grounds of these institutions and mandates restitution for disruption caused by threats.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony/misdemeanor for threats against institutions, increasing criminal penalties and expanding criminalization per indicators.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill strengthens school safety by criminalizing threats of mass violence, directly protecting students and educational institutions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Victims' Rights

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 8, 2025

HB 786: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the Class B misdemeanor offenses of criminal impersonation of a transportation network company driver and criminal impersonation of a private passenger-for-hire vehicle driver. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51; Title 39 and Title 65, Chapter 15.

HB 786 creates two new Class B misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee: one for impersonating a ride-hailing driver (like Uber or Lyft) and another for impersonating a traditional taxi or limo driver. It prohibits falsely using company branding, logos, or fake statements to claim you are a legitimate driver for these services, or falsely representing that you are responding to a passenger request. Violations carry Class B misdemeanor penalties (with potential felony charges if committed during another crime), and the law applies to acts occurring on or after July 1, 2025. This directly affects individuals who impersonate these drivers, aiming to protect consumers and legitimate service providers from deceptive practices.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses (impersonating drivers), expanding criminalization without reform intent, aligning with 'expands criminalization' indicator.92% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · House May 27, 2025

HB 99: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, revises present law relative to unlawful photography. - Amends TCA Section 39-13-605 and Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2.

HB 99 revises Tennessee's unlawful photography law (TCA § 39-13-605) to strengthen penalties and protections. It upgrades certain offenses to higher felony classifications (e.g., Class E felony for non-minor offenses, Class D felony when a minor under 13 is involved), adds mandatory sex offender registration for violations, and specifies aggravating factors like using a position of trust over a victim. The law directly affects individuals who take unauthorized photos in private settings, particularly when minors under 13 are involved or the offender holds a position of authority over the victim. Key provisions include increased criminal penalties, mandatory registration under Tennessee’s sex offender registry, and updated definitions for sentencing. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases felony classifications (Class E/D) and mandates sex offender registration, directly expanding criminalization and penalties per indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 1415: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the offense of knowingly engaging in conduct that places a child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment by exposing the child to fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or a fentanyl derivative or analogue; punishes the offense as a Class E felony if the child is over 8 and as a Class B felony if the child is 8 or less. - Amends TCA Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40.

SB 1415 creates a new criminal offense in Tennessee for knowingly exposing a child to fentanyl, carfentanil, or related opioids in a way that places the child in immediate danger of serious harm. It imposes a Class E felony penalty for children over age 8 and a stricter Class B felony penalty for children aged 8 or younger. The law specifically targets situations where a person unlawfully possesses these drugs in the presence of a child. If enacted, this bill would directly affect caregivers or adults who have these substances around minors. The bill is pending and would take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony charges for opioid exposure to children, expanding criminalization with stricter sentencing penalties for caregivers.95% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 657: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, adds organized retail crime and possession or employment of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony to the definition of racketeering activity; clarifies that carjacking is a racketeering activity. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 657 amends Tennessee's racketeering law (TCA §39-12-203) to explicitly include organized retail crime, firearm possession during dangerous felonies, and carjacking as racketeering activities. This change directly affects individuals committing these specific offenses, making them subject to enhanced penalties under racketeering statutes. The bill adds new definitions to the law (effective July 1, 2025) and clarifies that carjacking is now explicitly covered under racketeering. It does not create new crimes but reclassifies existing offenses for prosecution under racketeering provisions.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by adding organized retail crime, firearm possession during felonies, and carjacking to racketeering definitions, subjecting them to enhanced penalties and increasing mandatory sentences.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms