Criminal Justice

died · Tennessee · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 2626: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, prohibits a person who is convicted of a felony from running for public office, regardless of whether the person receives a presidential pardon; prohibits a public employee from receiving retirement benefits from the Tennessee consolidated retirement system, any superseded retirement system, or any other public pension system, if such employee or official is convicted of a felony. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 8; Title 39 and Title 40.

SB 2626 would have prohibited individuals convicted of a felony from running for public office in Tennessee, regardless of whether they received a presidential pardon. It also would have barred public employees convicted of felonies from receiving retirement benefits from any Tennessee public pension system. The bill amended multiple Tennessee Code sections to remove existing exceptions for "malfeasance in office" and establish these disqualifications for all felony convictions occurring on or after July 1, 2026. However, the bill was withdrawn on March 3, 2026, and never became law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts rights of felons by barring public office and retirement benefits, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of reducing defendant rights.90% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2298: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, adds to the criminal offense of aggravated assault, an assault that involves brandishing a deadly weapon; defines brandish to mean waving or exhibiting a weapon in a manner that would be found by a reasonable person to indicate a threat to use the weapon. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 2298 amends Tennessee's aggravated assault law to include "brandishing" a weapon as an aggravating factor. It defines "brandish" as waving or exhibiting a weapon in a threatening manner that a reasonable person would interpret as a threat to use it. This change affects how prosecutors charge aggravated assault cases involving weapons and sets a clear legal standard for what constitutes brandishing. The bill updates Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 39-13-102 and adds a definition to Section 39-11-106, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by adding brandishing as aggravating factor for aggravated assault, increasing severity of charges.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 2099: Evidence - As introduced, adds a rebuttable presumption that the criteria for a child victim to testify by two-way closed circuit television in a criminal matter involving certain offenses are met if the child is under 13 years of age. - Amends TCA Title 24, Chapter 7 and Title 39.

HB 2099 would change Tennessee law to automatically allow children under 13 to testify via two-way video link (instead of in person) in certain criminal cases involving child victims. This creates a rebuttable presumption that such children would suffer significant trauma from facing the defendant, meaning courts must assume the criteria for video testimony are met unless the defendant proves otherwise. The bill also requires judges to confirm that using video testimony won’t unfairly harm the defendant’s right to a fair trial. This applies specifically to cases involving certain offenses against child victims under 13.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects child victims by presuming video testimony to reduce trauma, advancing victim-centered court procedures in criminal justice reform.95% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 2264: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates the Class B misdemeanor offense of interfering with a religious institution if a person acts to intentionally obstruct, disturb, or interfere with the activities of the religious institution by making an utterance, gesture, or display in a manner that is offensive to the sensibilities of an ordinary person, either within the place where the meeting is held or so near it as to disturb the order and solemnity of the activities; defines "religious institution" as a church, temple, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 2264 creates a new Class B misdemeanor offense for intentionally obstructing, disturbing, or interfering with religious institution activities through offensive words, gestures, or displays near the location. It specifically applies to conduct that would be offensive to an ordinary person and disrupts the "order and solemnity" of services at churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, or other places of worship. The law amends Tennessee’s criminal code to define this offense and its penalty, effective July 2026. It directly affects individuals who engage in such disruptive conduct near religious gatherings, not general protest activities. The bill does not criminalize all criticism or peaceful demonstrations, only those meeting the defined threshold.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by creating new misdemeanor offense for disrupting religious institutions, increasing penalties for conduct near places of worship95% confidence

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 2664: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, adds to the criminal offense of aggravated assault, an assault that involves brandishing a deadly weapon; defines brandish to mean waving or exhibiting a weapon in a manner that would be found by a reasonable person to indicate a threat to use the weapon. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 2664 amends Tennessee's aggravated assault law to include "brandishing" a deadly weapon as a factor that elevates an assault to aggravated assault. It defines "brandish" as waving or exhibiting a weapon in a manner a reasonable person would interpret as a threat to use it. This change directly affects individuals charged with assault involving weapon display, making such acts subject to harsher penalties under aggravated assault. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands aggravated assault to include weapon brandishing, increasing penalties; aligns with 'oppose' indicators of stricter sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 2376: Elder Abuse - As introduced, extends from 10 to 20 days, the time within which a court must schedule a hearing on a petition to freeze the funds of a criminal defendant charged with financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult involving the taking more than $5,000 of property while the criminal proceeding is pending for purposes of restitution to the victim. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 15.

SB 2376 extends the deadline for courts to schedule hearings on petitions to freeze a criminal defendant's funds in financial exploitation cases involving elderly or vulnerable adults. Specifically, it changes the timeframe from 10 to 20 days after a motion is filed, applying when defendants are accused of taking more than $5,000 in property. This affects courts handling these cases, victims seeking restitution, and defendants charged with financial exploitation. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-502(c)(4) and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends court deadline for restitution hearings in elder abuse cases, ensuring timely victim restitution - supports victim protection within criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Victims' Rights

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 5, 2026

SB 2210: Courts - As enacted, requires the clerks of the criminal courts to provide the Tennessee sheriffs' association with all court data necessary for the administration of the criminal proceedings notification system. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 16; Title 18; Title 40 and Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 6.

SB 2210 increases the required notice period for victims registered in Tennessee's criminal proceedings notification system from 24 to 36 hours before any related hearing. This change directly affects victims who have registered to receive alerts about court proceedings involving their case. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-38-507(b)(1), to update the notice timeframe. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases victim notice period from 24 to 36 hours, strengthening victim protections in criminal proceedings per TCA amendments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Victims' Rights

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 2606: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation - As introduced, requires the TBI to establish a cold case division, to be divided into three geographic regions, each staffed by a regional director and no fewer than five cold case detectives; requires each local law enforcement agency to submit unsolved missing person or homicide cases to the cold case division following the passage of 10 years without resolution. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 2606 creates a statewide cold case division within Tennessee's Bureau of Investigation (TBI), organized into three geographic regions. Each region must have a director and at least five detectives to handle unsolved missing persons and homicide cases. Local law enforcement agencies must submit such cases to the TBI cold case division after 10 years without resolution. Families of victims may also request case file access under specific conditions, including if the case is unresolved for 10+ years or the local agency lacks a dedicated unit.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates TBI cold case division to resolve unsolved homicides/missing persons, advancing case resolution and victim justice within criminal justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Violent Crime

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 2359: Evidence - As introduced, adds a rebuttable presumption that the criteria for a child victim to testify by two-way closed circuit television in a criminal matter involving certain offenses are met if the child is under 13 years of age. - Amends TCA Title 24, Chapter 7 and Title 39.

SB 2359 modifies Tennessee law to create a rebuttable presumption that children under 13 years old would suffer significant emotional distress from testifying in court during criminal cases involving certain offenses, making it easier for judges to allow video testimony instead. The bill directly affects child victims under 13 in criminal trials, shifting the burden to the defense to prove the child wouldn’t be traumatized if testifying in person. Key provisions require judges to find that video testimony wouldn’t unduly prejudice the defendant before ordering it. The law amends Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 24-7-120 and 39, aiming to reduce trauma for young witnesses while maintaining defendant rights.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects child victims from trauma in court testimony, aligns with victim-centered criminal justice reform by presuming emotional distress for under-13s.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 2479: Agriculture - As introduced, enacts the "Freedom to Farm Act." - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4; Title 40 and Title 43.

HB 2479, the "Freedom to Farm Act," would allow Tennessee adults aged 21+ to grow marijuana for personal use under strict limits. Registered adults could cultivate up to 15 plants (max 5 mature flowering plants) at home, store no more than 16 ounces of dried trim, and use related paraphernalia, all while keeping cultivation locked and out of public view. The bill explicitly excludes concentrates, oils, and commercial activity, requiring registration with the Department of Agriculture ($100 fee, 3-year validity) and prohibiting use near minors. It does not change existing laws regarding marijuana concentrates or recreational sales, and remains pending before the Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeLegalizes personal marijuana cultivation, reducing criminal penalties for possession/cultivation - key criminal justice reform measure aligning with decriminalization indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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