Criminal Justice

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 693: 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.

SB 693 increases penalties for certain child abuse offenses in Tennessee. It upgrades the punishment for knowingly causing injury to a child aged 9-17 from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This change directly affects individuals convicted of such abuse, making the offense a felony charge. The bill amends Tennessee Code sections in Titles 36, 37, 39, and 40 and takes effect July 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after that date.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for child abuse from misdemeanor to felony, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing.90% confidence

Track

died · Tennessee · House May 15, 2025

HB 322: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the offense of human smuggling; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 322 creates a new criminal offense of "human smuggling" under Tennessee law, directly affecting individuals who transport people across borders for financial gain while concealing them from authorities. The bill defines human smuggling as transporting 10+ adults or 5+ minors (knowing they entered the U.S. illegally) to avoid detection by law enforcement, or encouraging such entry. It classifies this as a Class E felony, punishable by up to 6 years in prison, and adds misdemeanor penalties for harboring individuals who entered the U.S. illegally. The law also grants the state attorney general authority to seek court orders dissolving organizations involved in trafficking or smuggling.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for human smuggling, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties under criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Human Trafficking

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 215: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, establishes mandatory minimum penalties of 48 hours in jail and a $500 fine for a person convicted of knowingly selling or distributing a product containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid to a person who is under 21; prohibits a retailer from knowingly allowing an employee younger than 21 to access, handle, or sell any product containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid on the premises of the retail establishment. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17; Title 43, Chapter 27 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

SB 215 establishes new penalties for selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products to people under 21 in Tennessee. It requires a minimum 48-hour jail sentence and $500 fine for anyone convicted of knowingly selling such products to minors. The law also prohibits retailers from allowing employees under 21 to access, handle, or sell these products on store premises. These provisions amend Tennessee Code sections governing retail sales and criminal penalties, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeImposes mandatory 48-hour jail term and $500 fine for selling hemp products to minors, increasing criminal penalties per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Sentencing

Track

died · Tennessee · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 762: Witnesses - As enacted, establishes procedures for the use of certified facility dogs during witness testimony and other court proceedings; establishes standards for certified facility dogs. - Amends TCA Title 24; Title 36; Title 37 and Title 40.

HB 762 establishes rules for using certified facility dogs to support witnesses, especially victims, during court testimony to reduce stress and improve testimony accuracy. The bill sets specific standards for dogs (including training, health checks, and $500,000 liability insurance) and handlers (requiring legal procedure training), and requires courts to approve their use via a motion before proceedings. During testimony, dogs must wear visible identification, handlers must stay visible to the witness (outside jury view), and courts must inform juries that the dog’s presence doesn’t affect the case. Courts must also take steps to minimize jury visibility of the dog during testimony.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeImproves witness testimony accuracy in courts via certified facility dogs, reducing trauma for victims and enhancing court proceedings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

Track

died · Tennessee · House Apr 29, 2025

HB 540: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, expands the definition of "racketeering activity" to include committing, conspiring to commit, aiding, attempting to aid, soliciting, coercing, facilitating, or intimidating another person to commit the criminal offense of animal fighting. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 540 amends Tennessee law to expand the definition of "racketeering activity" to include animal fighting. Specifically, it adds "animal fighting under § 39-14-203" to the list of offenses classified as racketeering. This change directly affects individuals or groups involved in organizing, promoting, or facilitating animal fighting events, treating such activities as organized crime. The law, effective July 1, 2025, makes animal fighting a specific racketeering offense under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 39. It is now enacted as Public Chapter 264.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by adding animal fighting to racketeering offenses, increasing penalties for organized animal fighting activities without reform indicators.92% confidence

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SB 391: Witnesses - As enacted, establishes procedures for the use of certified facility dogs during witness testimony and other court proceedings; establishes standards for certified facility dogs. - Amends TCA Title 24; Title 36; Title 37 and Title 40.

SB 391 allows certified facility dogs to accompany witnesses - especially trauma victims - in court to reduce stress and improve testimony accuracy. It sets strict requirements: dogs must have 2+ years of training, vet health certificates, $500,000 insurance, and visible markings, while handlers must be certified in legal protocols. Courts must approve requests via motion, require handlers to stay visible to witnesses but out of jury view during testimony, and instruct juries not to view the dog as prejudicial. The law, effective April 11, 2025, applies to all Tennessee court proceedings involving witness testimony.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill improves court testimony accuracy for trauma victims via certified facility dogs, enhancing witness experience and fair trial outcomes in criminal proceedings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 5, 2025

HB 835: Expunction - As introduced, shortens the length of time that a petitioner must wait before having an eligible Class D felony expunged from 10 years after the completion of the sentence imposed for the offense the petitioner is seeking to have expunged, to eight years from completion. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 32.

HB 835 shortens the waiting period for expunging certain criminal records in Tennessee. It reduces the required time from 10 years to 8 years after completing a sentence for a Class D felony, making it easier for eligible individuals to have those records sealed. The bill directly affects people convicted of Class D felonies who seek to expunge their records. The key change modifies Tennessee Code Annotated §40-32-101(g)(2)(B)(ii), specifying the new eight-year waiting period for this offense level.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeShortens expungement waiting period for Class D felonies, advancing criminal justice reform by easing record sealing to reduce recidivism and improve reintegration.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 33: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts "MaKayla's Law," which amends the offense of reckless endangerment to specifically include a person's reckless failure to render inoperable or safely secure or lock a firearm, resulting in a child under 13 gaining possession of the firearm and injuring or killing the child or another. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

SB 33, "MaKayla's Law," amends Tennessee's reckless endangerment law to specifically address firearm storage. It makes it a felony for a person who fails to lock, secure, or make a firearm unavailable, resulting in a child under 13 gaining access, discharging the firearm, and causing injury or death. A Class E felony applies for bodily injury, while a Class C felony applies if the discharge causes death. This directly affects firearm owners with children under 13, imposing criminal penalties for negligent storage that leads to child access incidents. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for negligent firearm storage causing child injury/death, expanding criminalization of firearm incidents rather than advancing reform or accountability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 29, 2025

SB 916: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, expands the definition of "racketeering activity" to include committing, conspiring to commit, aiding, attempting to aid, soliciting, coercing, facilitating, or intimidating another person to commit the criminal offense of animal fighting. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 916 expands Tennessee's definition of "racketeering activity" to specifically include animal fighting, as defined under Tennessee Code § 39-14-203. This change directly affects individuals or groups involved in organizing, participating in, or facilitating animal fighting events, treating such activities as part of organized criminal enterprises. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-12-203(10) by adding a new subsection (RRR) to categorize animal fighting under racketeering offenses. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands racketeering definition to include animal fighting, strengthening enforcement against organized criminal enterprises under criminal justice framework.90% confidence

signed · Tennessee · House Jun 4, 2025

HB 577: State Inmates - As enacted, increases the accreditation stipend provided to eligible counties for each convicted felon housed by the county. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 29; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

HB 577 increases the state-funded stipend that eligible counties receive for housing each convicted felon in county facilities. This change directly affects counties operating correctional facilities, providing them with additional state funding per inmate. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee law (TCA Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 29, 38, 39, 40, and 41) to adjust the stipend amount. It was signed into law in May 2025 and takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases state funding for county correctional facilities housing inmates, directly supporting corrections infrastructure within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections