Criminal Justice

introduced · Tennessee · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 2203: Jails, Local Lock-ups - As introduced, requires the monthly report of the warden of a county workhouse for each prisoner placed under a work release program to be filed with the judge by whom the prisoner was sentenced on or before the fifteenth day of the month immediately following the reporting period. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 40 and Title 41.

HB 2203 requires county workhouse wardens to submit monthly reports to the sentencing judge about each prisoner in a work release program. The report, due by the 15th of the following month, must detail the prisoner's conduct and financial progress during the program. This affects county workhouse staff (who must file reports) and sentencing judges (who receive them). The bill amends Tennessee law to add this reporting requirement, focusing on transparency for judges overseeing work release participation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates judicial oversight of work release programs via monthly reports, enhancing transparency and accountability in rehabilitation efforts, aligning with reform indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Judges Sentencing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 2492: Correction, Dept. of - As introduced, prohibits governmental entities from preventing certain persons from entering correctional institutions used to house aliens for the purpose of conducting oversight. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 6; Title 4, Chapter 4; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

SB 2492 prohibits Tennessee governmental entities and prison contractors from blocking certain officials from entering correctional facilities housing non-U.S. citizens (referred to as "aliens" in the bill) to conduct oversight. It specifically prevents restrictions on U.S. Congress members, their staff, and Tennessee state legislators or their staff visiting these facilities. The law also bans altering facility conditions during such visits to ensure unobstructed oversight. Exceptions apply during emergencies like riots, disease outbreaks, or active threats. This bill directly affects oversight access at facilities detaining immigrant detainees.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates oversight access to correctional facilities housing non-U.S. citizens, promoting transparency and accountability in corrections, a core criminal justice reform principle.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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died · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 2480: Public Defenders - As introduced, creates five additional social worker positions in the public defender system. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

HB 2480 creates five new social worker positions within Tennessee's public defender offices, effective July 1, 2026. This bill directly affects public defenders and their clients, particularly those needing social services support during legal proceedings. The key provision amends Tennessee Code (Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4) to establish these additional roles. The bill does not alter legal procedures or funding mechanisms but increases staffing capacity for social work services in the public defense system.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAdds social workers to public defender system to support clients' social needs, aligning with rehabilitation-focused criminal justice reform.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates social worker positions in public defender offices, expanding mental health and social services support for clients, directly aligning with healthcare support indicators.95% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 21, 2026

SB 2645: County Officers - As introduced, requires a person elected or appointed to the office of constable on or after August 1, 2030, to have graduated from a Tennessee POST-approved certified law enforcement training academy; excludes a person who has held the office of constable for one complete term and is reelected to the office of constable on or after August 1, 2030, from the requirement of graduating from a Tennessee POST-approved certified law enforcement training academy. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 8 and Title 38.

SB 2645 requires that anyone elected or appointed as a Tennessee constable on or after August 1, 2030, must graduate from a Tennessee POST-approved law enforcement training academy. It excludes constables who have already served one complete term and are re-elected to the position on or after that date from this training requirement. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 5, 8, and 38 to update qualification standards for constable officeholders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires POST-approved training for new constables, enhancing law enforcement standards and accountability per criminal justice indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 2432: Statutes of Limitations and Repose - As enacted, requires prosecution for vehicular homicide committed on or after July 1, 2026, to commence within 10 years from the date the offense occurs. - Amends TCA Title 28; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 2432, known as "Quinton's Law," amends Tennessee's statutes of limitations for wrongful death claims and other civil actions. It extends the deadline for filing wrongful death lawsuits to three years if criminal charges are filed against the alleged perpetrator within two years of the incident, covering cases involving law enforcement, district attorneys, or grand jury prosecutions. For other civil claims like libel, false imprisonment, or civil rights cases, it shortens the filing deadline from two years to one year. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to cases accruing on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends wrongful death lawsuit deadline (3 years) for law enforcement cases when criminal charges filed, enhancing victim accountability in criminal justice contexts. Shortening other claims is secondary.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 11, 2026

SB 2660: Education - As introduced, amends the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property to apply only to a valid and credible threat; requires a local education agency's threat assessment procedures to include, when assessing a student based on dangerous or threatening behavior, a written assessment of the student by a mental healthcare provider, which may be performed via telehealth. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 49.

SB 2660 amends Tennessee law to limit criminal liability for threatening mass violence on school property to only "valid and credible" threats, rather than any threat. It requires schools to include a written mental health assessment by a qualified provider (such as a psychologist or school counselor, potentially via telehealth) when evaluating students exhibiting threatening behavior. This assessment must evaluate the student's welfare and be provided to the school's threat assessment team before a threat can be deemed "valid and credible" for criminal or reporting purposes. School officials must then report only such verified threats to law enforcement. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces criminalization of non-credible school threats and mandates mental health evaluations over punishment, aligning with reform goals like diverting youth from justice system involvement.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires mental health assessments for students with threatening behavior, strengthening student welfare protocols in school safety procedures.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires schools to obtain written mental healthcare provider assessments for students with threatening behavior, mandating mental health services access as part of threat assessment procedures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement School Safety Testing & Assessment Mental Health Telehealth

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 2380: Criminal Procedure - As introduced, allows a misdemeanor offender to petition to have the offender's criminal history records sealed after completion of all requirements of sentencing and at least five years without being convicted of a new offense; excludes domestic assault and driving under the influence from eligibility to be sealed. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

SB 2380 allows individuals convicted of most misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee to petition a court to seal their criminal history records after completing all sentencing requirements (like paying fines or finishing probation) and going five years without a new conviction. This applies to offenses like theft or disorderly conduct but excludes domestic assault and driving under the influence (DUI). To seal records, petitioners must pay a $500 fee, and sealed records remain accessible for firearm background checks, health department registries for vulnerable adult abuse, and law enforcement officer qualifications. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and if a person with sealed records is convicted of a new offense (other than minor traffic), the seal is lifted.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enables record sealing for non-violent misdemeanor offenders after 5 years, reducing barriers to employment/housing and promoting rehabilitation - key criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms Law Enforcement

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 2372: Jails, Local Lock-ups - As introduced, specifies that a jailer's authorization to evaluate a person confined in the county jail for purposes of the person's care includes evaluating the person's need for medical attention. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8, Chapter 8; Title 29; Title 40 and Title 41.

HB 2372 amends Tennessee law to explicitly include evaluating a person's need for medical attention as part of a jailer's responsibility for their care while confined in a county jail. The bill updates Tennessee Code Annotated §41-4-103(b) to clarify that jailers may assess confined individuals for medical needs during routine care evaluations. This change directly affects jailers who manage county jails and the people held in those facilities. The law specifies that medical evaluation is now a defined part of the jailer's care duties, not an additional requirement. The bill is currently pending in committee review and has not yet become law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies jailers must assess medical needs during care evaluations, promoting humane custody standards in corrections per amended TCA §41-4-103(b).85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 2367: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, adds "a victim" to the definition of an individual involved in the judicial process for purposes of the criminal offense of harming or threatening to harm an individual involved in the judicial process; makes various other changes regarding victims of crime. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 2367 expands the legal definition of "victim" in Tennessee criminal law to include insurance companies that compensated victims and law enforcement agencies that spent funds on investigations. It also explicitly allows victims (or their representatives) to attend court proceedings related to their case, beyond the state's designated witness. The bill specifically adds certain offenses - like evading arrest causing serious injury/death and vehicular homicide - to the list where victim impact is considered during sentencing. These changes directly affect crime victims, their representatives, insurance providers, and law enforcement agencies involved in criminal cases. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands victim definition to include insurers/law enforcement and mandates victim participation in court, enhancing victim protections in criminal proceedings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 2549: Opioids - As enacted, adds that a healthcare provider who subcontracts through the contracted healthcare vendor with the department of correction may prescribe a buprenorphine product for the treatment of opioid use disorder if other certain listed criteria are met. - Amends TCA Title 53 and Title 63.

SB 2549 allows healthcare providers who subcontract through contracted vendors with Tennessee's Department of Correction (or county/municipal jails) to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment, provided specific criteria are met. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 53-11-311 and related provisions to enable this practice in correctional healthcare settings. It directly affects medical staff working within prison or jail healthcare systems by expanding their ability to use buprenorphine - a medication for opioid addiction - under defined conditions. The law would take effect upon enactment, modifying how opioid treatment is delivered in state correctional facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enables buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in correctional facilities, supporting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through expanded medical care in prisons.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in correctional facilities, improving patient access to evidence-based care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Substance Abuse