Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole)

vetoed · Tennessee · Senate May 5, 2025

SB 455: Probation and Parole - As introduced, removes the limitations on the board of parole's authority to deny parole based solely on the seriousness of the offense for certain offenses to allow denial based on the seriousness of the offense for any offense. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 35, Part 5.

SB 455 would have removed a restriction on Tennessee's parole board, allowing it to deny parole based solely on the seriousness of an offense for *any* crime - not just specific offenses previously covered. This change would directly affect incarcerated individuals in Tennessee whose parole eligibility is reviewed by the board. The bill amended Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-35-503(b)(2)(A) to remove the phrase requiring parole denial to "depreciate the seriousness of the crime," broadening the board's authority. The bill was signed by legislative leaders but vetoed by the Governor on May 5, 2025, so it did not become law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves restriction on parole denial for any offense, increasing incarceration by allowing board to deny parole based solely on offense seriousness, reducing defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 625: Mental Illness - As introduced, establishes a rebuttable presumption that a person poses an imminent substantial likelihood of serious harm and needs emergency detention and examination if the person was charged with one of certain criminal offenses and ordered by the criminal, circuit, or general sessions court to undergo an evaluation to determine whether the person is incompetent to stand trial or the person's mental capacity at the time of the commission of the crime; requires clear and convincing evidence to rebut the presumption. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 40 and Title 52.

HB 625 creates an automatic presumption requiring emergency detention and mental evaluation for defendants charged with specific serious crimes (those carrying 85% mandatory sentence time before parole eligibility) who are ordered by a court to undergo a mental evaluation for competency or mental state at the time of the crime. This presumption can only be overturned by "clear and convincing evidence" showing the person poses no immediate risk of serious harm. The bill directly affects criminal defendants in Tennessee facing certain violent or severe offenses who are undergoing court-ordered mental health assessments. It amends Tennessee law in Titles 33, 40, and 52 to establish this new standard for emergency detention.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates automatic detention for specific defendants with high burden to rebut, restricting defendant rights by presuming risk without sufficient evidence.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Probation & Parole

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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

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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

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 1218: Probation and Parole - As introduced, enacts the "Parole Relief and Opportunity Act"; expands the definition of hardship for purposes of determining the ability of a parolee to contribute to the cost of the person's supervision and release. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41.

SB 1218, known as the "Parole Relief and Opportunity Act," expands the definition of hardship for Tennessee parolees to include situations where a parolee’s income cannot cover basic household needs due to family responsibilities or when they’ve made reasonable efforts to find employment but still cannot meet those needs. The bill requires the parole department to waive financial contributions for parolees qualifying as experiencing hardship under this new standard. Parolees can request a review of their financial obligation when facing hardship, and if approved, they will not be required to pay fees until their circumstances improve. This directly affects parolees in Tennessee who face economic challenges during their supervision period.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands hardship definition for parolees, waiving financial contributions to reduce barriers to reintegration, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 10, 2025

HB 937: 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.

HB 937 automatically restores voting rights for Tennessee residents who complete all parts of their sentence, including parole or probation, for certain convictions. It directly affects people previously convicted of "infamous crimes" (as defined by Tennessee law) who have finished their sentences. The bill eliminates the need for court petitions by requiring election officials to restore voting rights upon receipt of a "certificate of final discharge" from supervision. It also creates new systems for election officials to track suspended registrations and automatically update voter eligibility.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically restores voting rights post-sentence for formerly incarcerated individuals, advancing reintegration and criminal justice reform by eliminating barriers to civic participation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Courts Probation & Parole

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 553: 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.

HB 553 amends Tennessee's assault law to broaden the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include correctional officers working in county jails, state facilities, or private prisons, as well as probation and parole officers employed by the state or private providers. This change directly affects these correctional and probation officers by extending legal protections against assault to cover them under the same criminal penalties that apply to traditional law enforcement. The bill specifically updates Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-13-116 to list these new categories explicitly, ensuring they are protected under the assault offense statute. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands legal protections for correctional/probation officers under assault laws, strengthening workforce safety in corrections system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Probation & Parole

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 1111: Sentencing - As introduced, requires a local community corrections advisory board to provide its annual report to the county legislative body on the progress of community corrections programs by February 1 of each year. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 16; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

HB 1111 requires local community corrections advisory boards in Tennessee counties to submit annual reports on the progress of community corrections programs to their county legislative bodies by February 1 each year. This bill directly affects county-level community corrections advisory boards and county legislative bodies by establishing a mandatory reporting timeline. The key provision is the February 1 deadline for these reports, which aims to increase transparency and oversight of community corrections initiatives. The bill amends specific sections of Tennessee Code related to criminal sentencing to implement this requirement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates annual transparency reporting for community corrections programs, enhancing oversight and accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Sentencing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 527: Probation and Parole - As introduced, removes the limitations on the board of parole's authority to deny parole based solely on the seriousness of the offense for certain offenses to allow denial based on the seriousness of the offense for any offense. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 35, Part 5.

HB 527 modifies Tennessee's parole laws by removing a restriction that previously prevented parole boards from denying parole solely based on an offense's seriousness for certain crimes. The bill amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 35, Part 5 to allow parole boards to deny release for *any* offense if they determine it would "depreciate the seriousness of the crime" or "promote disrespect for the law." This change directly affects incarcerated individuals seeking parole, as it expands the criteria parole boards can use to deny release. The bill does not alter sentencing or create new penalties but shifts the parole decision-making standard.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands parole denial grounds to any offense based on 'seriousness,' restricting defendant rights and making parole harder to obtain, directly opposing criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Sentencing

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died · Tennessee · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 616: 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 616 would restore voting rights in Tennessee for people convicted of "infamous crimes" once their sentence (including incarceration, probation, or parole) ends. It removes the current requirements that individuals must pay all restitution, court costs, or be current on child support obligations before regaining voting rights. The bill clarifies that voting rights restoration does not automatically restore all citizenship rights (like jury service or holding office). This directly affects Tennesseans with past convictions for crimes classified as "infamous" under state law, allowing them to vote after serving their sentence without financial or child support hurdles.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores voting rights for formerly incarcerated without financial barriers, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reintegration and civil rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Probation & Parole Victims' Rights

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