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HB1022 • 2026

Criminal Procedure

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, relative to the death penalty.

Crime Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Russell, Bowling
Last action
2026-03-18
Official status
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details about the implementation timeline beyond mentioning rule-making authority immediately upon becoming law and general provisions taking effect in July 2025.

Death Penalty Lethal Injection Protocol

This bill allows pharmaceutical fentanyl to be used in lethal injection for executions under Tennessee law.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes a part of the Tennessee Code about death penalty procedures.
  • Allows using pharmaceutical fentanyl as part of the lethal injection process when carrying out a death sentence.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People involved in carrying out death sentences in Tennessee.
  • Prison officials and medical staff who follow lethal injection protocols.

Terms To Know

lethal injection
A method of execution where a person is given drugs that cause death.
pharmaceutical fentanyl
A powerful painkiller drug used in medical settings, now allowed for lethal injections under this bill.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how or when exactly the new protocol will be put into practice.
  • It is unclear what other changes might happen to lethal injection procedures beyond allowing fentanyl.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  4. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  5. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  6. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  7. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  8. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  10. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  11. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  12. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  13. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  14. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  15. 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 491
By Bowling

HOUSE BILL 1022
By Russell

HB1022
000695
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40,
relative to the death penalty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-23-114, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(g) For purposes of carrying out a sentence of death, lethal injection protocol
may include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl.
SECTION 2. For purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming a
law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the
public welfare requiring it.