Sexual Offenders

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how the information will be used or who can access it, leaving room for interpretation.

Sexual Offenders Must Report Religious Group Information

This bill requires sexual and violent sexual offenders to provide information about their religious group memberships when registering or updating their registration in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

• Requires sexual and violent sexual offenders to report the name, physical address, mailing address if different from physical address, and phone number of any church, temple, or other religious group they are a member of.
• Expands the list of required information on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) form to include details about religious groups where offenders are registered members.
• Makes this information public when an offender registers or updates their registration.

Who It Names or Affects

• Sexual and violent sexual offenders in Tennessee who need to register with TBI.
• Churches, temples, or other religious organizations that have members who are required to register as sexual or violent sexual offenders.

Terms To Know

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)

The agency responsible for collecting and maintaining information about registered sex offenders in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how this information will be used or who can access it.
• It is unclear what additional costs may arise from implementing these changes.

Official Summary Text

For sexual and violent sexual offender registration, present law requires within 48 hours
of establishing or changing a pri
mary or secondary residence, establishing a physical presence at a particular location, becoming employed or practicing a vocation
,
or becoming a student in this state,
an
offender
to
register or report in person.
The Tennessee bureau of investigation (TB
I) registration form must require the registrant's signature and disclosure of certain information under penalty of perjury. This bill expands the list of required information on the form to require the offender to provide the name,
physical address, mail
ing address if different from physical address, and phone number of any church, temple, or other religious group or organization in this state where the offender is a registered member
.

Present law provides that for any offender
convicted in this state o
f a sexual offense or violent sexual offense

that requires the offender to register,
certain
information concerning the registered offender
must
be considered public information.
This bill expands the information that must be considered public to now incl
ude the
name and address of any church, temple, or other religious group or organization in this state where the offender is a registered member.

I
mmediately after an offender registers or updates a registration,
present law requires
TBI
to
provide all i
nformation in the registry about the offender that is made public pursuant to
law. This bill expands such information that is made public to now include any
church, temple, or other religious group or organization in this state where the offender is a reg
istered member
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 451
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 1225
By Lafferty

HB1225
002168
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40,
Chapter 39, Part 2, relative to sexual and violent
sexual offenders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-39-203(i), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) The name, physical address, mailing address if different from physical
address, and phone number of any church, temple, or other religious group or
organization in this state where the offender is a registered member;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-39-206(d), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(17) The name and address of any church, temple, or other religious group or
organization in this state where the offender is a registered member.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-39-206(d), is amended by
deleting "subdivisions (d)(1)-(16)" wherever it appears and substituting "subdivisions (d)(1)-
(17)".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-39-214(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) Any church, temple, or other religious group or organization in this state
where the offender is a registered member;
SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.