Criminal Justice (Courts)

in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 449: Criminal Procedure - As introduced, restores the right of suffrage for persons convicted of an infamous crime after expiration of the sentence imposed for the infamous crime; removes requirement that the person pay restitution and court costs and be current in all child support obligations before having the person's right of suffrage restored; permits a person to have the right of suffrage restored without having the person's full rights of citizenship restored. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 40.

HB 449 would restore voting rights for Tennesseans convicted of an "infamous crime" (serious offenses like murder or rape) once their sentence ends, without requiring them to pay fines, restitution, or child support first. Currently, people with such convictions must clear all financial obligations and have their full citizenship rights restored to vote again. The bill changes eligibility rules to allow voting simply after sentence completion, verified through a certificate from prison or parole officials. It also updates voter registration forms to ask about sentence completion instead of full citizenship restoration. This affects people convicted of infamous crimes in Tennessee or other states who have finished their sentences.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores voting rights for felons post-sentence without financial barriers, promoting reintegration and civil rights - core criminal justice reform aligned with indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 1211: Election Laws - As introduced, establishes automatic restoration of voting rights for people who complete their sentence, including any parole or probationary period. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 40 and Title 41.

SB 1211 automatically restores voting rights to Tennessee residents who complete their felony sentences, including parole or probation, without requiring a court order. It directly affects people with felony convictions who have finished all court-imposed terms. The bill replaces the previous requirement for a court to restore rights with a system where a "certificate of final discharge" from supervision triggers automatic eligibility. Election officials must track suspended registrations and update voter rolls when eligibility is confirmed, using standardized forms for courts and the Department of Correction. This changes how Tennessee handles voting rights for returning citizens after sentence completion.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically restores voting rights for felony completers, advancing reintegration and civil rights - key criminal justice reform goals that reduce recidivism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Probation & Parole Tags Elections

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died · Tennessee · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 33: Bail, Bail Bonds - As enacted, establishes a presumption that a defendant should not be released on the defendant’s personal recognizance if the defendant is charged with a felony offense that involved the use or display of a firearm or resulted in the serious bodily injury or death of the victim; requires a magistrate who determines that the presumption has been rebutted to include in the bail order written findings for each factor considered in making such a determination. - Amends TCA Title 40.

HB 33 establishes a new rule for pretrial release in Tennessee: defendants charged with offenses involving firearm use/display or causing serious injury/death are presumed not to be released on their own promise to return to court (personal recognizance). This directly affects individuals facing these specific charges during initial court hearings. If a judge decides to override this presumption, they must provide written reasons for each factor considered in their decision. The bill amends Tennessee law to take effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts pretrial release for firearm/serious injury offenses, requiring judicial justification to override presumption, reducing defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms Judges

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 16, 2026

SB 1119: Criminal Procedure - As introduced, allows certain persons deprived of the right of suffrage to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage provisionally restored if the person enters into a payment plan to become current on all child support obligations. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 29.

This bill allows Tennessee residents who owe unpaid child support to apply for voter registration by entering a payment plan to catch up on those debts, rather than requiring full payment upfront to regain voting rights. It provides for provisional restoration of voting rights upon entering a payment plan, with courts able to revoke this provision if the plan is not followed - after offering court-appointed counsel and a hearing to address financial hardship. The law, effective July 1, 2025, applies to new voter registration applications and requires the Secretary of State to develop implementing rules with the Department of Human Services and courts. It directly affects individuals with outstanding child support obligations who seek to vote in Tennessee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores voting rights via payment plan for child support debt, a key criminal justice reform measure aligning with reducing barriers to civic participation for affected individuals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 10, 2025

SB 253: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, lessens, from 90 calendar days to 60 calendar days, the time within which a clerk of court must notify the health facilities commission of a conviction for certain offenses committed against elderly or vulnerable adults for inclusion on the registry of persons who have abused, neglected, misappropriated, or exploited the property of vulnerable individuals. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 15.

SB 253 shortens the deadline for clerks of court to notify the Health Facilities Commission about certain criminal convictions. It reduces the time from 90 to 60 calendar days after a conviction for offenses against elderly or vulnerable adults involving abuse, neglect, misappropriation, or exploitation of their property. This change directly affects clerks of court, requiring them to submit notifications faster to update the registry tracking individuals who have harmed vulnerable adults. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-506(a)(1) and has no other substantive policy changes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeShortens notification timeline to expedite registry updates for offenders against vulnerable adults, enhancing oversight and protection within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 1399: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates an offense for a person who harms or threatens to harm an individual involved in the judicial process or a family member of such person with the intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, or retaliate against the justice system participant in connection with their participation in the judicial process, punishable as a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 16.

SB 1399 creates a new Class E felony offense in Tennessee for anyone who harms or threatens to harm a person involved in the judicial process (such as witnesses, judges, jurors, prosecutors, law enforcement, or court staff) or their family members. It specifically targets actions taken to impede, intimidate, interfere with, or retaliate against someone for participating in court proceedings. The bill defines "family member" broadly (including spouses, parents, children, and siblings) and lists all covered judicial participants. This law, effective July 1, 2025, aims to protect individuals who engage with the justice system from targeted threats or violence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects judicial participants (witnesses, judges, etc.) from intimidation, strengthening court integrity and safety per bill's explicit intent to penalize interference with judicial process.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 595: Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, requires a sheriff to accept the surrender of a criminal defendant on pretrial release by a bail bondsman or surety for good cause, pending a hearing by a court with jurisdiction to admit to bail to determine whether there is good cause for the surrender. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 11.

SB 595 requires Tennessee sheriffs to accept surrender of defendants from bail bond companies when there's "good cause," pending a court hearing to determine if that cause is valid. This affects bail bond companies, sheriffs, and defendants on pretrial release by changing how surrenders are handled. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA 40-11-132) to mandate that sheriffs accept these surrenders immediately rather than rejecting them without court review. It establishes a clear process where a court - not the sheriff - decides if the surrender reason (e.g., defendant fleeing) is justified. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee as of April 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates court review for bail bond surrenders, adding judicial oversight to prevent arbitrary detention and aligns with bail reform goals protecting defendant rights in criminal justice process.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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failed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 28, 2025

SB 256: Appeal and Review - As enacted, authorizes criminal defendants who plead guilty, best interest, or no contest to also petition for a writ of error coram nobis based on evidence that was, through no fault of the defendant, unknown to the defendant at the time of the plea. - Amends TCA Title 40.

SB 256 allows criminal defendants in Tennessee who previously entered a guilty plea, "best interest" plea, or no-contest plea to later petition a court for a special review (writ of error coram nobis) if they have new evidence proving their actual innocence. This new evidence must not have been known to them at the time of their plea, such as DNA results or witness testimony. The bill requires courts to hold a hearing if the petition is valid, with the defendant needing to prove innocence by "clear and convincing evidence" to get a new trial. It applies to all convictions regardless of trial type and removes filing fees for these petitions. This change directly affects defendants seeking to overturn pleas based on newly discovered evidence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows defendants to petition for innocence claims via writ of error coram nobis, enhancing post-conviction review and protecting defendant rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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introduced · Tennessee · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 1031: Criminal Procedure - As introduced, creates an exception to the requirement that a petitioner pay the costs of a petition to restore the person's citizenship rights if the court finds that the petitioner is indigent. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 22; Title 36; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 1031 would amend Tennessee law to require courts to waive the costs of filing a petition to restore a person's citizenship rights for individuals determined to be indigent. Currently, petitioners must pay these costs unless the court finds them indigent, but the bill makes this exception automatic by stating costs must be waived upon a finding of indigence. This directly affects individuals with criminal convictions seeking to regain civil rights (such as voting eligibility) who cannot afford court fees. The key provision removes the upfront payment requirement for indigent petitioners without altering eligibility for rights restoration.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill waives court costs for indigent petitioners seeking restored citizenship rights (e.g., voting), directly advancing civil rights restoration in criminal justice reform.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · House May 13, 2025

HB 445: Criminal Procedure - As enacted, revises the procedure for restoration of rights of citizenship. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 22; Title 36; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 445 updates Tennessee's process for restoring voting rights after felony convictions. It replaces vague language about "restoring citizenship rights" with specific requirements that voting rights must be restored "as prescribed by law" for each felony conviction. The bill explicitly bans voting rights restoration for certain serious offenses, including first-degree murder, aggravated rape, treason, and voter fraud (with expanded restrictions for some crimes after 2006). This affects individuals with felony convictions who previously had their voting rights restored through court orders or pardons. The law became effective on May 13, 2025, after becoming Public Chapter 298.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill restricts voting rights restoration for serious offenses like murder/rape, limiting post-conviction rights instead of advancing reform.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts

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