Tennessee

Recent Legislation

2022

HB 1449: Made drug free school zone reforms retroactive.

2021

House Bill 784: Rewrites various provisions regarding community corrections, probation, probation revocation, release on bail, and more.

House Bill 785: Revises various provisions regarding the release or preparation of release of a person from incarceration, such as provisions governing probation and parole, and programming provided by correctional facilities.

House Bill 888: Expands the state’s expungement opportunities for those convicted of certain nonviolent felony offenses.

2019

Senate Bill 587: Removes certain limitations on using citation in lieu of an arrest.

House Bill 941/Senate Bill 797: Removes $180 fee for an individual petitioning the court for an expunction of certain criminal offenses; removes $350 fee for a defendant applying for expunction of an offense following the completion of a diversion program.

2018

House Bill 2181: Requires the department of correction to make four grants to local county sheriff or probation departments to fund reentry programs that reduce recidivism and probation revocations.

House Bill 2271: Juvenile justice reform: implements limits on length of custody; requires plan for uniform data collection from the judicial system and state agencies; expands performance-based metrics for providers; requires a validated risk-and-needs assessment to develop individualized case plans; invests in evidence-based programming and community resources.

Senate Bill 2384: Prohibits the nonpayment of county jail fees as a basis for the revocation of a person's driver license.

Senate Bill 2465: Creates a uniform process that all occupational licensing authorities must follow before denying or refusing to renew a license based on the applicant or licensee being convicted of a criminal offense.

2017

House Bill 418: Reduces the expunction fee for criminal convictions from $350 to $180.

House Bill 577: Requires a court to inform a child of the need to file a motion for expunction of a juvenile record; requires the administrative office of the courts to create a motion that can be completed by a child; requires juvenile court clerks to make the model expunction motion available to all children.

House Bill 578: Requires expunction of certain juvenile records upon motion.

Senate Bill 16: Clarifies that a person petitioning for a certificate of employability does not have to be in the process of restoring the person's rights.

Senate Bill 802: Revises provisions governing payment plans and stays from license revocation for assessed litigation taxes, court costs, and fines.

Releases