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HB0553 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 1, relative to assault against certain persons.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Capley, White
Last action
2025-04-17
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information about increased penalties or costs associated with the bill.

Expanding Protection for Correctional Officers

This bill changes Tennessee law to include correctional officers and probation or parole officers as 'law enforcement officers' when dealing with assault charges.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of a 'law enforcement officer' in Tennessee's laws to add correctional officers working for county jails, state corrections department, or private prison companies.
  • Also adds probation or parole officers from the state corrections department and private providers to the list of law enforcement officers under assault laws.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Correctional officers working in county jails, state correction facilities, or private prisons
  • Probation and parole officers from the state corrections department or private providers

Terms To Know

POST-certified law enforcement officer
A police officer who has completed training approved by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) board.
Law enforcement officer
Someone whose job is to enforce laws, including police officers, correctional officers, and probation or parole officers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much more it will cost the state or local governments.
  • It's unclear if this change will lead to more people being charged with assault against these officers.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  2. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  3. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  5. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  7. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  8. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  9. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  10. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  11. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  12. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  13. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/5/2025

  14. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  16. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  17. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  18. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/25/2025

  19. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  20. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  21. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  23. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  24. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  25. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  26. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1022
By White

HOUSE BILL 553
By Capley

HB0553
000403
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 13, Part 1, relative to assault against
certain persons.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-116, is amended by deleting
subdivision (d)(2) and substituting:
(2) "Law enforcement officer" includes, but is not limited to, a POST-certified law
enforcement officer; capitol police officer; Tennessee highway patrol officer; Tennessee
bureau of investigation agent; Tennessee wildlife resources agency officer; deputy jailer;
correctional officer employed by a county jail, the department of correction, or a private
prison contractor; probation or parole officer employed by the department of correction
or a private probation provider; or park ranger employed by the division of parks and
recreation in the department of environment and conservation; and
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.