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HB1251 • 2026

Criminal Procedure

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 8; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to rights of citizenship.

Active

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

Sponsor
Travis, Jackson
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about how the bill will apply to future court orders or individuals attempting to restore their citizenship rights beyond what is stated in the summary and text excerpt.

Law About Citizenship Rights

This bill changes Tennessee's laws about restoring citizenship rights by removing the requirement for people to pay an application fee if a court does not order them to do so.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that people who want to restore their citizenship rights do not need to pay an application fee unless a court orders them to.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to restore their citizenship rights in Tennessee and have a court order that says they don't need to pay an application fee.

Terms To Know

Citizenship Rights
The legal status of being a citizen, which includes the right to vote, hold public office, and other benefits.
Application Fee
Money that someone has to pay when they submit an application for something like restoring their citizenship rights.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the amount of the application fee or who will cover it if a person doesn't have to pay.
  • It's unclear what happens if a court decides someone still needs to pay an application fee under this new law.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  2. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  4. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  5. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  6. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  7. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1203
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 1251
By Travis

HB1251
003280
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2;
Title 8; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to rights of
citizenship.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-104, is amended by deleting
the language in the section and substituting:
Unless a court orders otherwise, the petitioner shall pay the costs of this
application.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to court orders issued on or after the effective date of this act.