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HB0483 • 2026

District Attorneys

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, relative to district attorneys general.

Budget
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Farmer, Taylor
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information on the impact of the bill on district attorney operations and funding processes, nor does it mention the District Attorneys General Conference's role.

Changing Report Deadline for District Attorneys

This bill changes the deadline for district attorneys to submit funding reports from ninety days to one hundred twenty days after the end of each fiscal year.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the deadline for district attorneys to send a report about their budget and spending to 120 days after the end of the fiscal year.
  • Updates Tennessee's laws by changing one specific part in Title 8, Chapter 7, Section 103(5) of the state code.

Who It Names or Affects

  • District attorneys general in Tennessee who must now submit their funding reports within a longer timeframe.

Terms To Know

Fiscal Year
A period used for budgeting and financial reporting, usually from July 1 to June 30.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a report is submitted after the new deadline.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect the operations or funding processes for district attorneys.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0483

Plain English: This amendment adds new sections to Tennessee Code Annotated allowing the attorney general to audit the thirtieth judicial district's district attorney for proper administration of justice and accountability.

  • Adds a new section (8-6-113) that allows the attorney general to conduct an audit on the district attorney in the thirtieth judicial district.
  • Specifies what the audit will review, including charge dispositions, pretrial release recommendations, fund usage, and misconduct allegations.
  • Gives the attorney general access to all information held by the district attorney for the purpose of conducting the audit.
  • Allows the attorney general to petition the supreme court to appoint a temporary district attorney if they find clear evidence that the current district attorney has refused to prosecute based on an unjustifiable standard.
  • The amendment text does not specify how often audits will be conducted or what happens after the initial audit report is submitted in January 2027.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0443

Plain English: The amendment allows the attorney general to conduct a study on the district attorney's handling of cases and financial use in the thirtieth judicial district.

  • Authorizes the attorney general to investigate how charges are handled by the district attorney, including plea agreements, convictions, dismissals, and other actions related to the Memphis Safe Task Force.
  • Requires the study to review recommendations for pretrial release conditions, use of funds, and any misconduct or unlawful acts committed by the district attorney.
  • Gives the attorney general access to all information held by the district attorney for the purpose of conducting this study.
  • The amendment does not specify how the study will be funded or what actions can be taken based on its findings beyond requesting an audit if necessary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  5. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/7/2026

  6. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  7. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/7/2026

  8. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/8/2026

  9. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  11. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 4/1/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  19. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  20. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  22. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  24. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 443
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 483
By Farmer
HB0483
000402
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
relative to district attorneys general.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-7-103(5), is amended by deleting
"ninety (90) days" and substituting "one hundred twenty (120) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.