Criminal Justice

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 482: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, expands the offense of unlawful photography to include a photograph that the defendant knew would include the victim engaged in sexual activity; increases the penalty for the offense of unlawful photography from a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony to a Class D felony in certain circumstances; authorizes the issuance of an order of protection for a person who has been subjected to, threatened with, or placed in fear of unlawful photography. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 40.

SB 482 strengthens Tennessee's laws against non-consensual photography by expanding the definition of "unlawful photography" to include photos where the defendant knew the victim would be engaged in sexual activity. It upgrades penalties for this offense to a Class D felony (from a Class A misdemeanor or Class E felony) in specific cases, making the punishment more severe. The bill also allows courts to issue protection orders for victims who have been subjected to, threatened with, or placed in fear of such photography. This directly affects victims of non-consensual photo sharing and those who commit this act, creating clearer legal consequences and additional protections.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens victim protections by expanding unlawful photography offense definition and increasing penalties to Class D felony, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of enhancing legal safeguards for victims.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 19, 2025

HB 1026: Expunction - As introduced, permits the expunction of a Class E felony conviction for official misconduct. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40, Chapter 32.

HB 1026 would allow individuals convicted of a Class E felony for official misconduct to have their court records permanently removed. This specifically affects people who committed such offenses while serving in public office or as government employees (e.g., police officers or public officials). The bill amends Tennessee law to create a new process for expunging these records, making them inaccessible to the public and most employers. It does not change sentencing or apply to other types of crimes. The bill is currently under review by the Judiciary Committee's Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables expungement of official misconduct convictions, reducing barriers to employment and supporting rehabilitation - core criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Policing Sentencing

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House May 27, 2026

HB 1346: Courts - As enacted, enacts the "Recovery Court Renewal Act." - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 32, Part 1.

HB 1346 would allow individuals with a prior DUI conviction (under §55-10-401) to petition for expungement of eligible criminal offenses after waiting at least 10 years from their conviction date. To qualify, petitioners must have fully paid all fines/restitution, completed probation or imprisonment, and not have prior expungements or multiple DUI convictions. The bill amends Tennessee's expungement law to create this specific pathway, effective July 1, 2025, if passed. It applies only to offenses eligible under existing expungement rules (§40-32-101(g)(1)) and limits petitions to one per person. The bill is currently under review by the Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows expungement of DUI convictions after 10 years, promoting rehabilitation and reducing barriers to employment, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Probation & Parole Victims' Rights

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Mar 21, 2025

SB 171: Tattoos and Piercings - As enacted, enacts "The Ink of Hope Act"; requires tattoo operators and tattoo artists to complete up to one hour of training on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking. - Amends TCA Title 62, Chapter 38.

SB 171, "The Ink of Hope Act," requires tattoo operators and artists in Tennessee to complete one hour of free, nonprofit-approved training on recognizing and reporting human trafficking signs before obtaining or renewing a license. The training covers identifying trafficking indicators, responding appropriately, referring clients to victim resources, and reporting to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. Existing license holders must complete this training by December 31, 2028, to maintain their license. The law also provides legal immunity for licensed individuals who report trafficking signs or refer clients to resources, protecting them from civil or criminal liability.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires training for tattoo professionals to recognize/report human trafficking, directly aiding law enforcement in combating a criminal offense within the criminal justice framework.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 996: 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.

SB 996 modifies Tennessee law to waive court fees for individuals seeking to restore citizenship rights if a court determines they are indigent (unable to pay costs). It directly affects people with past legal issues who are trying to regain voting rights or other citizenship privileges but cannot afford filing fees. The bill changes existing law to require courts to waive these fees upon proof of indigency, rather than requiring petitioners to pay upfront. This applies to petitions filed after the law takes effect, affecting those navigating the citizenship restoration process in Tennessee. The bill does not change eligibility for rights restoration, only the financial barrier to initiating the process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeWaives court fees for indigent individuals seeking to restore citizenship rights, reducing barriers to reintegration and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 1022: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, expands "law enforcement officer" to include a correctional officer employed by a county jail, the department of correction, or a private prison contractor and a probation or parole officer employed by the department of correction or a private probation provider for purposes of the offense of assault against a law enforcement officer. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 1.

SB 1022 expands Tennessee's assault law to protect additional public safety personnel by redefining "law enforcement officer" to include correctional officers working in county jails, state prisons, or private prisons, and probation/parole officers employed by the state or private providers. This change directly affects those officers by extending the legal protections of the assault offense statute to them, meaning assaulting them would now carry the same penalties as assaulting traditional law enforcement. The bill amends Tennessee Code § 39-13-116 to explicitly list these roles in the definition, removing ambiguity about their coverage. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, and does not alter existing penalties for assault.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands assault law protections to include correctional and probation officers, strengthening legal safeguards for public safety personnel under criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Probation & Parole

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House May 15, 2025

HB 1144: Correction, Dept. of - As enacted, provides that in a facility operated pursuant to a contract to provide correctional services, or in a facility operated pursuant to a contract with a county to hold state inmates and that county has entered into a contract with a contractor to provide correctional services, if the death rate of inmates at the facility is twice the death rate of an equivalent state-operated facility, then the department must reduce the population at such facility by 10%. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 12; Title 40 and Title 41.

HB 1144 sets a safety standard for private correctional facilities in Tennessee. If an inmate death rate at a privately operated facility (or a county facility contracted to house state inmates) is twice that of a comparable state-run facility, the Department of Correction must reduce the facility's population by 10%. This applies to facilities operating under contracts with the state or county, directly affecting private prison operators and county correctional systems. The bill amends Tennessee Codes Title 8, 12, 40, and 41 to implement this requirement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnforces safety standard for private prisons; reduces population if death rate doubles state facility, promoting safer conditions and oversight in corrections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 850: Search & Seizure - As introduced, requires officials who are employed or contracted by the federal government, the state government, or a local government within this state, or an agency or department thereof, to obtain a search warrant that identifies the person or property that is the subject of the search before entering private property, unless a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement exists. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 44.

HB 850 requires government officials (including police, inspectors, and wildlife officials) to obtain a search warrant identifying the specific person or property targeted before entering private property for a search. This applies to all federal, state, and local government employees or contractors conducting searches, with exceptions only for judicially recognized warrant exceptions like emergencies. Officials who fail to get a valid warrant when required would face a Class C misdemeanor charge. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections to implement this warrant requirement, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates specific warrants for searches, enhancing law enforcement accountability and protecting civil rights under Fourth Amendment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 1303: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the offense of intentionally impeding or obstructing a member of the division of protective services from ingress to, egress from, or movement about a location where the member is responsible for a person protected by the division of protective services; creates the offense of intentionally refusing to vacate an area where access has been restricted by a member of the division of protective services for the purpose of maintaining the safety or security of the person being protected. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 39.

SB 1303 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee law. It makes it illegal to intentionally block or obstruct a protective services officer (including highway patrol or law enforcement supporting them) when they need to access a location to protect a person under their care. It also prohibits refusing to leave an area where access has been restricted by such an officer to ensure the safety of the person being protected. Violations are punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, or a Class E felony if the person obstructing posed a threat to the protected individual. This law directly affects anyone who interferes with protective services officers during their duties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates offenses to prevent obstruction of protective services officers, strengthening law enforcement effectiveness in criminal justice operations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

signed · Tennessee · House May 27, 2025

HB 486: Public Defenders - As enacted, creates five additional assistant district public defender positions effective July 1, 2025. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

HB 486 modifies Tennessee law to require district public defenders to meet certain deadlines within ten business days instead of ten calendar days, effective July 1, 2025. This change directly affects public defenders' offices across Tennessee by extending the timeframe for completing specific legal tasks, accounting for weekends and holidays. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated sections related to public defender procedures (Title 8, Chapter 14; Title 9, Chapter 4) without creating new positions or altering funding. It streamlines administrative processes for public defenders while maintaining existing service requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates 5 additional public defender positions and extends deadlines to business days, improving representation efficiency in criminal courts per TCA amendments.95% confidence