Criminal Justice (Policing)

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 19, 2025

HB 1026: Expunction - As introduced, permits the expunction of a Class E felony conviction for official misconduct. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40, Chapter 32.

HB 1026 would allow individuals convicted of a Class E felony for official misconduct to have their court records permanently removed. This specifically affects people who committed such offenses while serving in public office or as government employees (e.g., police officers or public officials). The bill amends Tennessee law to create a new process for expunging these records, making them inaccessible to the public and most employers. It does not change sentencing or apply to other types of crimes. The bill is currently under review by the Judiciary Committee's Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables expungement of official misconduct convictions, reducing barriers to employment and supporting rehabilitation - core criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Policing Sentencing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 850: Search & Seizure - As introduced, requires officials who are employed or contracted by the federal government, the state government, or a local government within this state, or an agency or department thereof, to obtain a search warrant that identifies the person or property that is the subject of the search before entering private property, unless a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement exists. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 44.

HB 850 requires government officials (including police, inspectors, and wildlife officials) to obtain a search warrant identifying the specific person or property targeted before entering private property for a search. This applies to all federal, state, and local government employees or contractors conducting searches, with exceptions only for judicially recognized warrant exceptions like emergencies. Officials who fail to get a valid warrant when required would face a Class C misdemeanor charge. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections to implement this warrant requirement, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates specific warrants for searches, enhancing law enforcement accountability and protecting civil rights under Fourth Amendment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 14, 2025

HB 856: Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, lowers the standard for the use of deadly force to protect property; specifies that deadly force does not include the display of a weapon, the brandishing of a weapon, or the use of force in circumstances that do not result in death or serious bodily injury. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 856 (Tennessee House Bill 856) would amend Tennessee law to lower the standard for using deadly force in property protection cases. It allows deadly force to prevent property crimes like trespass, theft, or burglary if a person reasonably believes other methods would fail or risk death/serious injury to themselves or others. The bill specifically defines "deadly force" to exclude merely displaying or brandishing a weapon, or using force that doesn’t cause death or serious injury. These changes directly affect property owners and law enforcement responding to property-related incidents under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 39-11-614 and 39-11-106.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill explicitly lowers standard for deadly force in property cases, expanding circumstances where deadly force is permitted - contradicting criminal justice reform trends focused on limiting excessive force and protecting civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Law Enforcement Policing

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 15, 2025

SB 30: Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates new misdemeanor offenses, including intentionally giving a false or fictitious name to a law enforcement officer who has lawfully detained or arrested such person. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40; Title 54 and Title 55.

SB 30 creates new misdemeanor offenses in Tennessee, primarily targeting individuals who intentionally provide false names to law enforcement during lawful detention or arrest (Section 4). It also prohibits transporting people in the enclosed cargo area of box trucks (defined as vehicles without passenger seats/safety belts) and restricts approaching within 25 feet of officers performing duties after being ordered to stop (Sections 5-6). Additionally, the bill bans unauthorized signage on bridges/highways without maintenance entity permission (Section 7) and amends procedures for police citations (Sections 8-9). These changes directly affect people detained by police, drivers using box trucks for passengers, and individuals placing signage on public infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new misdemeanor for false names to police during detention, expanding criminalization and reducing defendant rights during lawful stops.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

failed · Tennessee · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 1407: Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, lowers the standard for the use of deadly force to protect property; specifies that deadly force does not include the display of a weapon, the brandishing of a weapon, or the use of force in circumstances that do not result in death or serious bodily injury. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 1407 would amend Tennessee law to allow the use of deadly force to protect property, such as preventing burglary, theft, or damage to livestock, under specific conditions. It directly affects property owners and occupants who face intruders or property crimes. Key changes include lowering the standard for deadly force (requiring only a reasonable belief that force is necessary to stop the crime), defining "deadly force" to exclude merely displaying or brandishing a weapon, and updating legal references to include property protection under self-defense statutes. The bill would not permit deadly force if less lethal options are available to protect the property or if the force used wouldn’t cause death or serious injury.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill lowers standard for deadly force in property crimes, expanding use of force without requiring death/injury, opposing reforms that limit excessive force use.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 1367: Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires a law enforcement officer initiating a traffic stop or pedestrian stop, on or after January 1, 2026, to inform the person stopped of the reason for the stop before engaging the person in questioning related to an investigation of a possible criminal offense or traffic violation; permits the officer to withhold such information if the officer believes that doing so is necessary to protect life or property from an imminent threat. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB 1367 requires Tennessee law enforcement officers to inform individuals stopped during a traffic or pedestrian stop of the reason for the stop before questioning them about a potential crime or traffic violation. The rule takes effect January 1, 2026, but officers may withhold the reason if they believe it's necessary to protect life or property from an immediate danger. The bill directly affects people stopped by police and officers conducting such stops, aiming to clarify the interaction process. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 38, 39, and 40 to implement this requirement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires officers to state stop reason before questioning, enhancing transparency and accountability in law enforcement interactions, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 626: Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires a law enforcement officer who becomes aware that an order of protection has been entered against a person in the officer’s presence but has not been served on the person to take appropriate steps to facilitate service of the order of protection, including notifying the sheriff’s department of the person’s immediate location; requires the curriculum of the Tennessee peace officer standards and training commission to include instruction on such requirements. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6; Title 38 and Title 40.

HB 626 requires Tennessee law enforcement officers to take specific action when they observe someone who has an active order of protection against them but hasn't been served the document. If an officer sees this situation in person, they must notify the sheriff's department of the person's location and other details to help serve the order. The bill also mandates that officer training programs include instruction on these requirements. This law directly affects police officers and sheriff's departments by changing how they handle unserved protection orders during encounters.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires officers to enforce protection orders, enhancing victim safety and procedural compliance in criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Policing

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died · Tennessee · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 58: Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires an employing law enforcement agency to contact any prior law enforcement agency that employed the agency's officer or special deputy as part of the thorough investigation into the person's good moral character. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 8.

HB 58 requires Tennessee law enforcement agencies to contact a job candidate's previous law enforcement employers as part of verifying their "good moral character" during hiring. This applies directly to police departments and sheriff's offices when vetting new officers or special deputies. The bill amends Tennessee law to mandate this specific step in the background check process. As a procedural change to hiring requirements, it does not alter substantive law or create new penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires prior employer contact for officer vetting, enhancing accountability in law enforcement hiring per bill's procedural change to background checks.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 979: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates a Class B misdemeanor offense for engaging in harassing behavior against a first responder engaged in official duties under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 39.

SB 979 creates a Class B misdemeanor offense for intentionally approaching within 25 feet of a first responder (including police, firefighters, EMTs, or corrections officers) during official duties after being verbally warned not to, when the intent is to impede their work, threaten them, or cause emotional distress. The law directly affects individuals who harass first responders in these specific circumstances while they are performing their duties. Key provisions require a prior verbal warning, define "harass" as causing substantial emotional distress with no legitimate purpose, and specify the three prohibited intents. This bill aims to protect first responders from disruptive or threatening behavior during emergency operations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Class B misdemeanor for harassing first responders during duties, strengthening law enforcement protection within criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 829: Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates the Class B misdemeanor of intentionally refusing a law enforcement officer's request to exit from a motor vehicle during a lawful traffic stop. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 16.

SB 829 creates a new Class B misdemeanor offense for drivers who intentionally refuse to exit their vehicle when lawfully stopped by police. It directly affects individuals stopped during traffic stops who ignore an officer's request to leave their vehicle. The bill amends Tennessee law to define this refusal as a punishable offense, with penalties including fines or up to 60 days in jail. The law will take effect on July 1, 2025, and applies only during lawful traffic stops where the officer has a valid reason to stop the vehicle.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new Class B misdemeanor for refusing to exit vehicle during lawful stop, expanding criminalization without reform elements or accountability measures.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Policing

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