Criminal Justice (Drug Policy)

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 1075: Firearms and Ammunition - As enacted, expands the definition of "machine gun" to include any part, or combination of parts, designed and intended solely for use in converting a firearm into a machine gun; increases the classification for the intentional or knowing possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of a machine gun from a Class E to a Class C felony; reclassifies certain other offenses involving the possession of firearm or handgun ammunition; makes a defendant ineligible for parole if convicted of aggravated assault that involved the use of a firearm from within a motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

SB 1075 (enacted as Public Chapter 513) amends Tennessee law to expand the definition of "machine gun" to include parts designed solely for converting firearms into machine guns. It upgrades the felony classification for machine gun possession, manufacture, or sale from Class E to Class C and reclassifies certain firearm ammunition offenses. The bill also makes defendants ineligible for parole if convicted of aggravated assault involving a firearm used from a motor vehicle. These changes directly affect individuals possessing machine guns or specific firearm-related offenses in Tennessee, with the law taking effect upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of firearm offenses, upgrades felony classifications, and removes parole eligibility for firearm-related aggravated assault, increasing penalties and restricting defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Probation & Parole

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 657: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, adds organized retail crime and possession or employment of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony to the definition of racketeering activity; clarifies that carjacking is a racketeering activity. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 657 amends Tennessee's racketeering law (TCA §39-12-203) to explicitly include organized retail crime, firearm possession during dangerous felonies, and carjacking as racketeering activities. This change directly affects individuals committing these specific offenses, making them subject to enhanced penalties under racketeering statutes. The bill adds new definitions to the law (effective July 1, 2025) and clarifies that carjacking is now explicitly covered under racketeering. It does not create new crimes but reclassifies existing offenses for prosecution under racketeering provisions.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by adding organized retail crime, firearm possession during felonies, and carjacking to racketeering definitions, subjecting them to enhanced penalties and increasing mandatory sentences.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SB 957: Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, prohibits the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of a switch or auto sear device designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of converting a weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger unless certain exceptions apply. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13.

SB 957 bans the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of "switch or auto sear devices" that convert firearms to shoot multiple rounds automatically with a single trigger pull - without manual reloading. This directly affects individuals and businesses handling such devices, including gun owners, dealers, and manufacturers. The bill amends Tennessee's firearm laws to add these devices to prohibited items, with limited exceptions, and classifies violations as a Class E felony. It will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by banning specific firearm devices and classifying violations as a Class E felony, increasing penalties and expanding criminal law scope without reform intent.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 1082: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, adds certain criminal offenses to the list of dangerous felonies for purposes of the offense of possessing a firearm or antique firearm during commission or attempt to commit a dangerous felony. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13.

SB 1082 amends Tennessee law to add 30+ new offenses to the list of "dangerous felonies" that trigger stricter penalties for firearm possession during or after committing those crimes. It directly affects individuals convicted of specific violent or serious crimes like aggravated robbery, rape, human trafficking, meth manufacturing, or aggravated burglary who possess firearms during or attempt such offenses. The key mechanism expands the existing list of dangerous felonies (e.g., adding "aggravated stalking," "trafficking for commercial sex acts," and "meth manufacturing" to the list) so that firearm possession during these crimes becomes a separate offense with enhanced penalties. This bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands dangerous felony list to impose stricter firearm possession penalties during specified crimes, increasing mandatory sentences and expanding criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Drug Policy Firearms

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 33: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts "MaKayla's Law," which amends the offense of reckless endangerment to specifically include a person's reckless failure to render inoperable or safely secure or lock a firearm, resulting in a child under 13 gaining possession of the firearm and injuring or killing the child or another. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

SB 33, "MaKayla's Law," amends Tennessee's reckless endangerment law to specifically address firearm storage. It makes it a felony for a person who fails to lock, secure, or make a firearm unavailable, resulting in a child under 13 gaining access, discharging the firearm, and causing injury or death. A Class E felony applies for bodily injury, while a Class C felony applies if the discharge causes death. This directly affects firearm owners with children under 13, imposing criminal penalties for negligent storage that leads to child access incidents. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for negligent firearm storage causing child injury/death, expanding criminalization of firearm incidents rather than advancing reform or accountability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 417: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, decreases from 150 grams to 50 grams or more the amount of any substance containing fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or any fentanyl derivative or analogue that is punished as a Class A felony for the knowing manufacture, delivery, or sale of the substance, or possession with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell the substance. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17.

SB 417 lowers the weight threshold for felony charges related to certain fentanyl-related substances in Tennessee. It changes the law so that possessing, manufacturing, delivering, or selling 50 grams or more of fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, or their derivatives triggers a Class A felony charge - down from the current 150 grams. This directly affects individuals involved in handling these substances, as it makes it easier to meet the felony threshold. The bill amends Tennessee Code §39-17-417(j)(12) and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeLowers felony threshold for fentanyl derivatives from 150g to 50g, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties without reform measures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 29, 2025

SB 741: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates a criminal offense of possessing, distributing, or producing technology, software, or digital tools designed for the purpose of creating material that includes a minor engaged in sexual activity or simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive; establishes relevant factors to be considered in determining whether artificial technology, software, or digital tools are used or possessed with intent to create material that includes a minor engaged in sexual activity or simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 741 criminalizes possessing, distributing, or producing digital tools designed to create material featuring minors in sexual activity (real or simulated, if patently offensive). It classifies violations as Class E (possession), Class C (distribution), or Class B (production) felonies. Courts must consider specific factors like the defendant’s statements, existing material, advertising, and legitimate uses when determining intent. The law, effective July 1, 2025, directly affects individuals who handle such technology, not minors or general users.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felonies for digital tools used in child exploitation material, expanding criminalization of related conduct.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyCriminalizes possession/distribution of technology tools designed for illegal CSAM creation, restricting technology use for harmful purposes rather than promoting tech policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 26, 2025

HB 1190: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates a Class E felony that is committed when a person exercises control over a motor vehicle knowing that the person does not have the permission of the owner of the motor vehicle; creates a Class A misdemeanor of possessing a firearm that the person knows or reasonably should know has been stolen. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 1190 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee. It makes it a Class E felony to control a motor vehicle without the owner's permission (knowing they lack authorization), and a Class A misdemeanor to possess a firearm the person knows or should know was stolen. The bill specifies that vehicle control without permission will be punished as theft under existing law, while the firearm provision allows standard defenses for possession. These changes directly affect individuals who commit vehicle control without consent or possess stolen firearms, with penalties defined by the bill's new sections in Tennessee Code Annotated Title 39. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony/misdemeanor offenses for vehicle control without permission and stolen firearm possession, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 167: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts "MaKayla's Law," which amends the offense of reckless endangerment to specifically include a person's reckless failure to render inoperable or safely secure or lock a firearm, resulting in a child under 13 gaining possession of the firearm and injuring or killing the child or another. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

HB 167, known as "MaKayla's Law," amends Tennessee's reckless endangerment law to specifically address firearm safety. It makes it a felony for an adult who fails to lock, secure, or store a firearm safely, resulting in a child under 13 gaining access, discharging it, and causing injury or death. The law creates two new felony charges: a Class E felony for bodily injury and a Class C felony for death. This directly affects firearm owners in households with children under 13, imposing criminal penalties for negligent storage that leads to harm. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony charges for firearm negligence, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties, opposing criminal justice reform efforts by adding stricter sentencing.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

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in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 11, 2025

HB 143: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, expands the Class C felony offense of aggravated assault against a first responder to include knowingly possessing fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or a fentanyl analogue in a manner that would be reasonably foreseen to expose a first responder to the substance while the first responder is discharging or attempting to discharge the first responder's official duties and the first responder is exposed resulting in the serious bodily injury or death of the first responder. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 143 expands Tennessee's Class C felony charge for aggravated assault against first responders to include knowingly possessing specific fentanyl-related substances (fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or analogues) in a way that reasonably exposes first responders to those substances during official duties. This directly affects individuals who possess these drugs in circumstances where exposure could cause serious injury or death to a first responder. The bill defines "expose" as direct contact via touch, ingestion, or inhalation and sets a mandatory $15,000 fine plus a 90-day minimum jail term with no early release. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to cases where the first responder suffers serious injury or death due to the exposure.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by adding fentanyl possession as aggravated assault against first responders, increasing penalties for drug-related offenses targeting public safety.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Violent Crime

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