Criminal Justice

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 · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 830: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, specifies that the offense of reckless endangerment includes a person who recklessly discharges a firearm into the air while in a densely populated area; provides that a densely populated area may be proven by evidence of the population of the city or county, housing density in the immediate area of the offense, the number of persons present at the time of the offense, or any other evidence. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 830 amends Tennessee's reckless endangerment law (TCA Title 39) to specifically make it a crime to recklessly discharge a firearm into the air in crowded places. It directly affects individuals who point guns toward the sky in areas with many people, such as parks or city centers. The bill defines "densely populated area" using measurable evidence like local population data, housing density, or the number of people present at the time. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by explicitly defining reckless firearm discharge in crowded areas as a new offense under reckless endangerment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 14, 2025

HB 856: Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, lowers the standard for the use of deadly force to protect property; specifies that deadly force does not include the display of a weapon, the brandishing of a weapon, or the use of force in circumstances that do not result in death or serious bodily injury. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 856 (Tennessee House Bill 856) would amend Tennessee law to lower the standard for using deadly force in property protection cases. It allows deadly force to prevent property crimes like trespass, theft, or burglary if a person reasonably believes other methods would fail or risk death/serious injury to themselves or others. The bill specifically defines "deadly force" to exclude merely displaying or brandishing a weapon, or using force that doesn’t cause death or serious injury. These changes directly affect property owners and law enforcement responding to property-related incidents under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 39-11-614 and 39-11-106.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill explicitly lowers standard for deadly force in property cases, expanding circumstances where deadly force is permitted - contradicting criminal justice reform trends focused on limiting excessive force and protecting civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Law Enforcement Policing

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

in committee · Tennessee · House May 13, 2025

HB 1352: Sentencing - As enacted, provides that if the victim in an aggravated sexual battery was less than 18 or was mentally defective, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, then such battery remains a Class B felony, and the defendant must be punished as a Range II offender; provides that the sentence imposed upon the defendant may, if appropriate, be within Range III but in no case lower than Range II. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 5.

HB 1352 changes Tennessee law to classify aggravated sexual battery as a Class A felony (a more serious offense) when the victim is under 18 years old or is mentally defective, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless - previously, it was a Class B felony. The bill mandates that defendants in these cases must be sentenced within Tennessee’s Range II sentencing range (the minimum for Class A felonies), though judges may impose a higher Range III sentence if appropriate. This affects all convictions for aggravated sexual battery meeting these victim criteria and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeUpgrades aggravated sexual battery to Class A felony with mandatory minimum Range II sentencing, increasing penalties for vulnerable victims' cases per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

Track

signed · Tennessee · House May 15, 2026

HB 1450: Bail, Bail Bonds - As enacted, makes various changes related to entities seeking to secure the release of a defendant. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 1450 restricts who can post bail for defendants in Tennessee. It prohibits most organizations (not including the defendant, their family, legal guardian, employer, or licensed bail bondsmen) from posting bail security for more than three defendants in a single year or for the same defendant more than once per year. Entities seeking to post bail must first obtain approval under new requirements. The bill amends Tennessee law to clarify definitions (like "family" including third-degree relatives and household members) and limits non-licensed entities from operating bail services. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts non-licensed entities from bail posting, aligning with reform efforts to limit commercial bail practices and reduce systemic exploitation in pretrial release systems.85% confidence