Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement)

signed · Tennessee · House May 27, 2025

HB 1128: County Officers - As enacted, revises present law relative to constables. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 10 and Title 38, Chapter 8.

HB 1128 revises Tennessee's laws governing county constables by establishing new training requirements and removing certain certification barriers. It requires all constables newly elected or appointed on or after July 1, 2025, to complete 128 hours of law enforcement training within their first year, with a pairing requirement with experienced officers during training unless they have prior POST-certified experience. The bill eliminates the requirement for constables to be certified by the POST commission to perform their duties and removes any mandated work-hour minimums for maintaining certification. This directly affects county constables in Tennessee, changing how they qualify and train for their roles.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires enhanced law enforcement training for constables, improving officer competence and accountability within the criminal justice system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2026

SB 1467: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, enacts "The Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act." - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 7 and Title 39.

SB 1467, the "Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act," requires Tennessee district attorneys general to submit a 24-hour report to state and federal officials whenever they make specific decisions about felony cases tied to two federal law enforcement operations: the Memphis Safe Task Force or Operation Viper. The report must be filed if the district attorney enters a plea agreement, reduces charges, dismisses a case, or declines to prosecute. This applies only to cases originating from these operations, which are defined as federal efforts focused on combating violent crime in Memphis through aggressive policing and prosecution. The bill aims to increase transparency around prosecutorial decisions in these specific cases without altering the legal standards for handling them.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates 24-hour reporting for DA decisions on felony cases tied to federal task forces, enhancing prosecutorial oversight and accountability per bill's 'Accountability Act' title.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 1174: Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires a law enforcement agency that uses body cameras to adopt a written policy for the use of the cameras by its law enforcement officers; establishes certain requirements for the policies. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 1.

SB 1174 requires Tennessee law enforcement agencies using body cameras to adopt written policies governing their use. These policies must mandate that officers activate cameras during all public encounters (except immediate safety threats), wear them properly to capture footage, and notify people they're being recorded. The bill also specifies exceptions: officers must ask residents before entering homes without a warrant, victims of domestic violence or rape, and anonymous crime reporters if they want the camera turned off. These policies must include training for officers and cover how recordings are handled. The law directly affects all state and local law enforcement agencies that use body cameras and the public they interact with during patrols and investigations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires body camera policies with activation mandates and notifications, enhancing officer accountability and transparency in law enforcement encounters.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates notification before recording and proper data handling for body cameras, advancing data privacy protections in law enforcement technology use.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 963: Criminal Procedure - As enacted, increases from 11 months and 29 days to two years from the date of arrest the time within which misdemeanor charges against a defendant who has been found incompetent must be retired unless the defendant is restored to competency; adds to present law that, when a defendant whose misdemeanor charges were retired due to a finding of incompetency is released into the community, the chief officer is required to notify the court of the defendant's discharge and provide the court and the sheriff with an outpatient treatment plan that accounts for the safety of the community. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 40 and Title 52.

SB 963 extends the deadline for filing misdemeanor charges against defendants found incompetent to stand trial from 11 months and 29 days to two years after arrest. If charges are dismissed due to ongoing incompetence, the chief officer must notify the court of the defendant's release and provide an outpatient treatment plan addressing community safety. The bill directly affects misdemeanor defendants declared incompetent, requiring courts and sheriffs to receive updated discharge and treatment information. These changes amend Tennessee law in Titles 33, 40, and 52 to improve coordination during the competency process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill extends time for misdemeanor charges against incompetent defendants and mandates outpatient treatment plans for community safety, promoting reform by balancing defendant rights and public safety.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 1166: DUI Offenses - As enacted, requires the Tennessee bureau of investigation to provide a report to the speakers of the senate and the house of representatives on or before January 1 each year, until July 1, 2029, detailing the instances in the most recent year for which complete data is available in which a person was arrested for driving under the influence but where no alcohol or other intoxicants are detected in the person's blood or breath. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 38.

SB 1166 requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to annually report to legislative leaders on DUI arrests where no alcohol or intoxicants were detected in the person's blood or breath. Specifically, the TBI must submit a report by January 1 each year (starting in 2026) detailing these cases from the most recent complete data year, including the arresting law enforcement agency. The bill affects the TBI (as the reporting entity) and the Tennessee General Assembly (as the recipient of the data). This provision amends Tennessee law to create a new annual reporting requirement under Title 38, focusing solely on data collection without changing DUI penalties or procedures.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires annual reporting on DUI arrests without intoxicant evidence, promoting law enforcement transparency and accountability in criminal justice practices.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

in committee · Tennessee · House May 2, 2025

HB 1020: Tort Liability and Reform - As enacted, specifies that a law enforcement officer who causes property damage to or inflicts personal injury upon a person during the course of the law enforcement officer's official duties is immune from civil liability if at the time the damage or injury occurred, the person suffering the injury or damage was engaged in conduct that resulted in the person being convicted of the offense of resisting a stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search of the person. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.

HB 1020 grants law enforcement officers immunity from civil lawsuits for property damage or personal injury caused during official duties if the injured person was resisting arrest (and later convicted under Tennessee's resisting arrest statute, §39-16-602). This immunity does not apply if the officer acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct, nor does it cover bystanders or others not resisting arrest at the time of the incident. The bill amends Tennessee law (Titles 29 and 39) to change how civil liability is handled for officers’ actions during enforcement. It directly affects individuals who resist arrest and their ability to sue officers, while protecting officers from lawsuits under specific, limited circumstances.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeGrants law enforcement immunity from civil lawsuits for property damage/personal injury during arrests when the injured party was resisting (and convicted), weakening accountability oversight in criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 289: Workers Compensation - As enacted, creates a presumption that the diagnosis of a law enforcement officer or emergency medical responder with post-traumatic stress disorder as the result of responding to certain incidents was incurred in the line of duty for purposes of workers' compensation coverage. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51 and Title 50, Chapter 6.

SB 289 creates a legal presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in law enforcement officers and emergency medical responders (EMTs) is work-related if it results from responding to specific incidents, making it automatically eligible for workers' compensation coverage. This directly affects those first responders by streamlining their claims process without requiring separate proof of work connection. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 7-51-206 and 50-6-101 to replace "firefighter" with "law enforcement officer or emergency medical responder" throughout the relevant workers' compensation provisions. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to claims for PTSD incurred while performing official duties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates automatic workers' comp for law enforcement PTSD, supporting officer welfare and retention in criminal justice roles by streamlining claims.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates presumption for PTSD coverage under workers' comp, removing barriers to mental health treatment access for first responders per bill's intent to streamline claims.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates presumption for PTSD workers' comp coverage for first responders, removing proof burden and strengthening benefit access per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Workers' Compensation

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signed · Tennessee · House Apr 4, 2025

HB 120: 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.

HB 120 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee: intentionally obstructing officers from entering, leaving, or moving within areas where they protect vulnerable individuals, and refusing to vacate restricted zones when ordered for safety. It directly affects anyone who interferes with the Division of Protective Services (including highway patrol and law enforcement officers) while they are safeguarding people under their protection. Violating these provisions is a Class A misdemeanor, but becomes a Class E felony if the person posed a threat to the protected individual. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all locations where protective services are actively engaged.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses to protect law enforcement's ability to safeguard vulnerable individuals, strengthening enforcement protocols for protective services operations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

in committee · Tennessee · House May 15, 2025

HB 1299: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates a civil and criminal action for individuals who are the subject of an intimate digital depiction that is intentionally disclosed without the individual's consent under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 28 and Title 39, Chapter 17.

HB 1299, the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act," creates a civil legal remedy for individuals whose non-consensual intimate digital images or videos - whether AI-generated deepfakes or manipulated real likenesses - are shared without their consent. It directly affects victims of such disclosures and those who distribute them, requiring explicit written consent for disclosure (not just creation) and defining "intimate digital depictions" to include explicit images of identifiable people. Key provisions allow victims to sue for up to $150,000 in liquidated damages, actual damages for emotional harm, or recovery of the defendant’s profits, plus attorney fees. Exceptions cover disclosures made in good faith to law enforcement or during legal proceedings, while courts may grant anonymity to plaintiffs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates civil/criminal remedy for non-consensual intimate image victims, protecting rights under criminal justice reform by addressing digital exploitation.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill creates legal remedy for non-consensual deepfake image sharing, strengthening data privacy protections against AI-generated intimate content misuse.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 954: Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires each law enforcement agency to develop and implement an alternative crisis response unit; requires the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission to establish uniform training standards for alternative crisis response units in all law enforcement agencies. - Amends TCA Title 33 and Title 38.

HB 954 requires all Tennessee law enforcement agencies to create and implement alternative crisis response units by January 1, 2026. These units must pair a full-time police officer with a qualified mental health professional who leads mental health-related emergency calls. The bill mandates the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission to establish uniform training standards for these units and provide annual officer training on supporting mental health professionals during crisis calls. The law directly affects every law enforcement agency in Tennessee and updates state statutes to formalize this crisis response model.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires mental health professionals in crisis response units, reducing police involvement in non-violent mental health emergencies - aligns with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health professionals in crisis response units, directly supporting mental health services by improving emergency care access and integration with law enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Healthcare Workforce Mental Health

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