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HB0625 • 2026

Mental Illness

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33; Title 40 and Title 52, relative to mental health evaluations.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Hardaway, Akbari
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Taken off notice for cal. in Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the consequences if a person successfully rebuts the presumption.

Mental Health Evaluations for Certain Criminal Offenses

This bill creates a presumption that people charged with certain serious crimes and ordered by a court to have a mental health evaluation are likely to need emergency detention, unless they can prove otherwise.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new part (b) to an existing law about when someone might need emergency mental health help.
  • Establishes that if someone is charged with a serious crime and the judge orders them to have a mental health evaluation, there's a presumption that they may be dangerous and need immediate care.
  • Requires clear proof to show this presumption is wrong.
  • Applies only to crimes where the person would spend at least 85% of their sentence in jail if found guilty.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People charged with serious crimes who are ordered by a court to have mental health evaluations.
  • Courts and judges who order these evaluations.
  • Mental health professionals who conduct the evaluations.

Terms To Know

rebuttable presumption
A strong belief that something is true, but it can be proven wrong with enough evidence.
clear and convincing evidence
Evidence that shows a high level of certainty about the truth of something.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone proves they do not need emergency detention.
  • It is unclear how this will affect people who are ordered to have mental health evaluations but are not charged with serious crimes.
  • The exact costs and impacts on the justice system are not detailed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal. in Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  7. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026

  16. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026

  17. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  18. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  19. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025

  20. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/9/2025

  21. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  22. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/8/2025

  23. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/2/2025

  24. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/2/2025

  25. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  26. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  27. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/2/2025

  28. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025

  29. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  31. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/26/2025

  32. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  34. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/12/2025

  36. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/5/25

  38. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  39. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  41. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  43. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  45. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  46. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  47. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 662
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 625
By Hardaway

HB0625
000612
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33;
Title 40 and Title 52, relative to mental health
evaluations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 33-6-401, is amended by
redesignating the section as subsection (a) and adding the following:
(b)
(1) There is a rebuttable presumption that a person meets the standard
in subsection (a) for emergency detention and examination if the person was
charged with an offense described in subdivision (b)(3) and ordered by the
criminal, circuit, or general sessions court to undergo an evaluation under § 33-7-
301 to determine whether the person is incompetent to stand trial or the person's
mental capacity at the time of the commission of the crime.
(2) The presumption established by subdivision (b)(1) may be rebutted
only by clear and convincing evidence that the person does not pose an
imminent substantial likelihood of serious harm.
(3) This subsection (b) applies to any offense for which the defendant, if
convicted, would be required to serve at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the
sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release from incarceration,
pursuant to § 40-35-501.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.