HB 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.
HB 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.
HB 973 extends time limits for legal action related to child sexual abuse in Tennessee. It increases the criminal prosecution window from 25 to 30 years after the victim turns 18, and the civil lawsuit window from 15 to 30 years after the victim turns 18. The law directly affects victims of child sexual abuse who wish to pursue legal action later in life. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2025.
HB 501 creates the Tennessee Juvenile Justice Review Commission to examine juvenile justice cases and critical incidents involving youth in state custody. The commission will review specific cases (like repeat offenses or those with systemic issues such as extended detention or out-of-state placements) and incidents (like escapes, self-harm, or staff abuse allegations) to identify patterns and make legislative recommendations. It must report its findings annually to the Tennessee General Assembly starting in 2028. The commission includes members from child services, education, mental health, courts, public defense, law enforcement, and child development fields. This bill directly affects how Tennessee reviews and improves its juvenile justice system, focusing on policy changes based on case data rather than individual outcomes.
HB 553 amends Tennessee's assault law to broaden the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include correctional officers working in county jails, state facilities, or private prisons, as well as probation and parole officers employed by the state or private providers. This change directly affects these correctional and probation officers by extending legal protections against assault to cover them under the same criminal penalties that apply to traditional law enforcement. The bill specifically updates Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-13-116 to list these new categories explicitly, ensuring they are protected under the assault offense statute. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025.
HJR 48 proposes a constitutional amendment to expand rights for crime victims in Tennessee. If approved by voters, it would guarantee victims specific protections including the right to receive notice of court proceedings, be present at trials, provide input during sentencing, receive restitution from offenders, and be informed of parole decisions. The amendment would require voter approval at the 2026 general election, as directed in the resolution. This is a proposed change to the state constitution, not an immediate law, and would not alter existing legal processes or create new lawsuits against the government.
HB 706 adds 10 new assistant district attorney general positions and 10 new criminal investigator positions across 10 specific Tennessee judicial districts that contain state correctional facilities. These roles are funded by the Department of Correction and focus exclusively on investigating and prosecuting crimes committed within state prisons, including violations of specific prison-related laws. The bill mandates that prison officials grant these prosecutors and investigators full access to prison records, evidence, and facilities upon request. The positions become effective July 1, 2025, and do not restrict existing staffing options for district attorneys.
HB 629 modifies Tennessee law regarding juvenile justice and school discipline. It allows juvenile courts to order GPS tracking devices for youth accused of delinquency or unruliness who are released before a hearing, requiring monitoring providers to alert probation officers if rules are violated. Additionally, it mandates that students expelled for threatening mass violence at school must complete counseling and a mental health evaluation before returning to school, with costs borne by parents or the student (if 18+), and evaluation results kept confidential. These changes apply to cases occurring on or after July 1, 2025.
HB 403 expands Tennessee's unlawful photography law to cover photos where the defendant knew the victim was engaged in sexual activity. It upgrades penalties for this offense to a felony (Class D) in specific cases, replacing previous misdemeanor or lower felony classifications. The bill also allows courts to issue protection orders for victims who have been subjected to, threatened with, or feared such non-consensual photography. This directly affects individuals who commit non-consensual photography and victims of such acts. The changes apply to offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2025.
SB 19 allows Tennessee's Attorney General and Reporter to investigate and prosecute criminal violations by judicial officials (such as judges) or district attorney generals. This authority applies only when the Attorney General has sufficient evidence of a crime and either the local district attorney would face a personal, financial, or political conflict of interest in prosecuting the case, or a nepotism violation has been reported. The law ensures that cases involving potential conflicts can be handled by the Attorney General's office without relying on the conflicted local prosecutor. It does not change existing criminal laws but clarifies the process for such investigations.
