Juvenile Offenders - As enacted, permits a court to use juvenile court records, including the disposition and evidence, in pretrial reports used to set bond for certain criminal offenses; requires the magistrate to consider the defendant's prior juvenile record in determining the defendant's risk of danger to the community. - Amends TCA Title 37 and Title 40.
SB 221 allows Tennessee courts to use juvenile court records - including past dispositions and evidence - in pretrial reports for setting bond in certain criminal cases. It requires magistrates to consider a defendant's prior juvenile record when determining their risk of danger to the community. This change directly affects individuals with prior juvenile court involvement who are facing criminal charges and undergoing bond hearings. The bill amends Tennessee Code sections 37-1-133, 37-1-153, and 40-11-118 to permit this use of juvenile records, which were previously prohibited in non-juvenile court proceedings.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 27, 2025
Signed May 9, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2025
How they voted
28–5
Passed
Total votes 33
Mar 3, 2025
D
Democratic6
83% Nay
R
Republican27
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
24
Key actions
10
Committee
3
Amendments
2
May 9, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0040)
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0509)
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., as am., Ayes 73, Nays 22, PNV 0
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Concurred, Ayes 27, Nays 5 (Amendment 2 - HA0509)
upper
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0008)
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 25, Nays 5
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/18/2025
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Brent Taylor
RRepublican
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