Criminal Justice

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 28: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, expands the criminal offense of harassment to include harassment that occurs by communicating in the physical presence of the victim, in addition to in writing, by telephone, or electronically. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 28 expands Tennessee's harassment law to include face-to-face communication as a form of harassment, in addition to existing methods like text, phone, or online messages. This change directly affects individuals who engage in threatening or intimidating behavior while physically present with a victim, such as verbal threats during stalking or nonverbal intimidation in person. The bill amends the definition of "communicate" in state law to explicitly cover in-person contact, alongside written, electronic, or telephone interactions. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025, broadening the legal scope for prosecuting harassment cases that occur through physical presence.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of harassment by adding in-person communication to prohibited acts, increasing potential prosecutions under criminal justice law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 30: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates new misdemeanor offenses, including intentionally giving a false or fictitious name to a law enforcement officer who has lawfully detained or arrested such person. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40; Title 54 and Title 55.

SB 30 creates new misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee, primarily targeting individuals who intentionally provide false names to law enforcement during lawful detention or arrest (Section 4). It also prohibits transporting people in the enclosed cargo area of box trucks (defined as vehicles without passenger seats/safety belts) and restricts approaching within 25 feet of officers performing duties after being ordered to stop (Sections 5-6). Additionally, the bill bans unauthorized signage on bridges/highways without maintenance entity permission (Section 7) and amends procedures for police citations (Sections 8-9). These changes directly affect people detained by police, drivers using box trucks for passengers, and individuals placing signage on public infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new misdemeanor for false names to police during detention, expanding criminalization and reducing defendant rights during lawful stops.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 9, 2025

HB 573: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, decreases from 150 grams to 50 grams or more the amount of any substance containing fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or any fentanyl derivative or analogue that is punished as a Class A felony for the knowing manufacture, delivery, or sale of the substance, or possession with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell the substance. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17.

HB 573 changes Tennessee's criminal law by lowering the threshold for a Class A felony conviction related to fentanyl derivatives. It reduces the amount of substances like fentanyl, carfentanil, or their analogues that trigger this severe penalty from 150 grams to 50 grams or more for offenses including manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing with intent to do so. This bill directly affects individuals involved in the distribution or possession of these substances at or above the new 50-gram threshold. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, as specified in the bill text.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeLowers threshold for Class A felony on fentanyl derivatives from 150g to 50g, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization of drug offenses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

Track

died · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 1441: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, increases the penalty for criminal impersonation of a law enforcement officer from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony if the offense occurs while the defendant is committing or attempting to commit a crime of violence. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 1441 raises the penalty for impersonating a law enforcement officer in Tennessee from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony when the impersonation occurs during the commission or attempt of a violent crime. It maintains the current misdemeanor penalty for impersonation while driving a vehicle (with a $5,000 fine maximum) and for other non-violent cases. The bill specifically targets individuals who use impersonation as part of violent criminal activity, making the offense a felony under those circumstances. The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalty for impersonating officers during violent crimes, expanding criminalization and harshening sentencing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Violent Crime

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House May 15, 2025

HB 1140: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, makes the offense of possession of a used, detached catalytic converter by an unauthorized person punishable by a term of imprisonment not greater than 11 months, 29 days; a fine not to exceed $2,500; or both, instead of only subject to a fine. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 55 and Title 62.

HB 1140 reclassifies the unauthorized possession of a used, detached catalytic converter as a Class E felony in Tennessee, instead of a Class A misdemeanor. This change subjects offenders to potential jail time (up to 11 months, 29 days), a fine of up to $2,500, or both. The bill directly affects individuals or businesses possessing catalytic converters without authorization, such as scrap dealers or auto repair shops. It amends Tennessee criminal code sections in Titles 38, 39, 55, and 62 to implement this penalty upgrade, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeReclassifies catalytic converter possession as felony with jail time, expanding criminalization rather than reforming justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 240: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, expands the offense of organized retail crime to include certain acts, including knowingly using an online marketplace or social media platform to coordinate a meeting with one or more persons to sell, barter, or trade stolen merchandise for monetary or other gain; increases the punishment for the offense under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 14.

SB 240 expands Tennessee's definition of "organized retail crime" to include using social media or online marketplaces to coordinate selling, trading, or bartering stolen merchandise. It adds specific acts to the offense, such as tampering with anti-theft devices, interfering with fire alarms during theft, and possessing stolen items for resale. The bill also increases penalties for certain violations, like when property is destroyed or a weapon is used, by elevating the offense classification. These changes directly affect individuals engaging in retail theft, particularly those using digital platforms to organize criminal activity.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by adding social media coordination to organized retail crime and increases penalties for aggravated offenses, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 388: Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, requires a court or magistrate to impose global positioning monitoring as a condition of release for a defendant accused of certain offenses, unless the court or magistrate enters written findings that the defendant does not pose a threat to the victim or public safety; requires the administrative office of the courts to compile an annual report of the number of defendants subject to such an order. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40; Title 55; Chapter 969 of the Public Acts of 2024 and Chapter 1033 of the Public Acts of 2024.

SB 388 requires courts to mandate GPS tracking for defendants accused of specific offenses - such as firearm use, domestic assault, vehicle burglary, reckless driving, drag racing, or repeat crimes - during pretrial release, unless the court documents in writing that the defendant poses no threat to victims or public safety. It applies to defendants awaiting trial for these listed offenses, directly affecting their release conditions. Courts must report monthly data on GPS orders to the Administrative Office of the Courts, which will compile an annual report for legislative committees by July 1 each year. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, amending Tennessee Code sections related to criminal procedure and bail.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates GPS monitoring for pretrial release in specific offenses, restricting defendant rights without clear reform intent; aligns with 'reduces defendant rights' indicator.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms Judges

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 1295: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts the "Shielding Tennesseans from Oligarchic Power and Eliminating Lawless Obstruction of Necessities Act (STOP ELON Act)," which creates a new offense of interfering with an individual's or entity's receipt of a loan, grant, or financial assistance that the individual or entity is lawfully entitled to receive from the federal, state, or local government, with intent to deprive the individual of the loan, grant, or financial assistance, which is punished as theft; authorizes a victim of an offense to bring a civil action to recover the funds that the victim did not receive because of the offense. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.

HB 1295, known as the "STOP ELON Act," creates a new criminal offense for intentionally blocking someone from receiving government financial aid (like loans or grants they're eligible for) with the intent to deny them the funds. It treats this interference as theft under existing law, with penalties including criminal charges and combined value calculations for multiple offenses. Victims can also file civil lawsuits to recover funds they lost due to the interference. The bill directly affects individuals or organizations denied federal, state, or local aid and those who obstruct such aid, with provisions taking effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for blocking government aid access, expanding criminalization of financial interference per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 464: Bail, Bail Bonds - As enacted, makes changes to the law relative to professional bondsmen and agents of insurance companies making appearance bonds of a criminal nature. - Amends TCA Title 40.

SB 464 amends Tennessee's bail bond laws to set a minimum 5% premium fee for bonds, replacing the previous 10% cap. It directly affects defendants using bail bonds and bondsmen/insurance agents by requiring fees to be between 5% and 10% of the bond amount (e.g., $125-$250 on a $2,500 bond), while allowing up to 15% for certain bond types. The bill changes specific sections of Tennessee Code (40-11-151, 40-11-316, and 40-11-316(c)) to establish these new fee ranges. It takes effect July 1, 2025, impacting all professional bondsmen and insurance agents providing appearance bonds for criminal cases.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases defendant costs by lowering minimum bail fee from 10% to 5%, restricting access to pretrial release and reducing defendant rights - directly contradicts reform indicators.95% confidence

signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 769: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, makes the offense of possession of a used, detached catalytic converter by an unauthorized person punishable by a term of imprisonment not greater than 11 months, 29 days; a fine not to exceed $2,500; or both, instead of only subject to a fine. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 55 and Title 62.

SB 769 changes Tennessee law to treat unauthorized possession of a used, detached catalytic converter as a felony instead of a minor misdemeanor. It makes this offense punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, a $2,500 fine, or both. The bill directly affects individuals or businesses that possess catalytic converters without authorization, such as scrap recyclers or those who may have stolen them. This policy update strengthens penalties to deter catalytic converter theft, which is a growing problem across the state.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for catalytic converter possession, expanding criminalization from misdemeanor to felony, aligning with indicators of restricted defendant rights and expanded criminalization.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy