Rep. Clay Doggett

Maddy summaryHB 583 allows video recordings of child forensic interviews (in cases involving sexual or physical violence) to be used as court evidence, provided a trained interviewer confirms the recording's accuracy and the child is available for cross-examination by the defense. It amends Tennessee evidence law to require the child or interviewer to verify the recording's truthfulness under oath. The bill specifically clarifies that interviews conducted by qualified child advocacy centers (meeting certain standards) or federal agencies are admissible. This directly affects child victims in criminal cases where such video evidence is relevant, ensuring their statements can be presented without requiring repeated testimony.

Maddy summaryHB 1257 expands expungement eligibility in Tennessee to include individuals who facilitated, attempted, or solicited offenses that were already eligible for expungement under existing law. It modifies multiple criminal justice statutes (Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 7, 16, 38, 40, 55, and 57) to clarify this expanded eligibility, directly affecting people seeking to clear certain criminal records. The bill also requires expungement forms to be publicly accessible on court websites. This law took effect in April 2025 after becoming Public Chapter 268.

Maddy summaryHB 579 amends Tennessee law to explicitly include "robbery" in the legal definition of "crime of violence" under Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13. This change directly affects robbery cases by classifying them under the same sentencing framework as other violent crimes like murder, aggravated assault, and kidnapping. The bill updates the statutory definition to ensure robbery is treated as a crime of violence for legal and sentencing purposes. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 580 updates Tennessee's pretrial release rules for defendants using GPS monitoring. It requires counties to contract with "qualified" GPS service providers that offer 24/7 monitoring, maintain written court protocols, and notify emergency services if a defendant violates bond conditions. The bill also clarifies that victims must receive emergency contact information, limits liability for service providers, and creates a process where courts must hold hearings within 10 days if defendants fail to pay monitoring costs. This directly affects defendants on monitored pretrial release, victims, law enforcement, and GPS service providers.

Maddy summaryHB 1056 corrects the official name of the Cumberland Museum and Science Center to "Adventure Science Center" in Tennessee law. This change ensures the center can continue receiving state education grants and appropriations under existing funding programs. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Section 49-3-320, replacing the previous name with the new designation. It does not alter funding levels, create new programs, or affect other policies - only updating the legal name for administrative and funding purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 573 changes Tennessee's criminal law by lowering the threshold for a Class A felony conviction related to fentanyl derivatives. It reduces the amount of substances like fentanyl, carfentanil, or their analogues that trigger this severe penalty from 150 grams to 50 grams or more for offenses including manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing with intent to do so. This bill directly affects individuals involved in the distribution or possession of these substances at or above the new 50-gram threshold. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, as specified in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 574 requires voters in Tennessee to present valid, unexpired photo identification (such as a driver’s license or passport) when registering to vote or casting a ballot. It prohibits county election commissions from processing voter registrations without proof of such valid ID at the time of application. The bill explicitly states that expired or invalid ID documents do not satisfy this requirement. This change directly affects all individuals seeking to register or vote in Tennessee elections, making valid, unexpired ID a mandatory condition for participation.

Maddy summaryHB 582 requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to classify registered sexual offenders into specific categories (sexual offender, violent sexual offender, violent juvenile sexual offender, or offender against children) based on their conviction. The TBI may use investigative reports, prosecutorial files, court records, or other credible information to make these classifications. The bill mandates that the TBI must notify each offender of their final classification. This law directly affects individuals required to register under Tennessee’s sexual offender registration laws (TCA § 40-39-202/203) by formalizing how their risk level is determined and communicated.

Maddy summaryHB 581 limits fees charged by Tennessee's election finance registry when providing copies of campaign finance disclosure reports to the public. It prohibits the registry from charging more than the actual cost of producing the copies, directly affecting citizens and organizations requesting these reports. The bill amends Tennessee Code Section 2-10-206(a)(3) to replace previous fee language with a clear cap on charges. This change ensures the registry cannot impose additional fees beyond the documented costs of copying the reports.

Maddy summaryHJR 150 is a joint resolution urging the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture to conduct a comprehensive economic study on how Bradford pear trees impact Tennessee's agriculture and forestry sectors. The resolution directs the university to consult with state agencies including the Departments of Agriculture, Environment, Transportation, and Wildlife Resources, and submit a report by April 30, 2026. This resolution does not create new laws but requests an analysis of the trees' economic effects, including their spread, ecosystem impacts, and management challenges. It directly affects the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and the specified state agencies.