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HB1748 • 2026

Clerks, Court

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-419, relative to the electronic monitoring indigency fund.

Active

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

Sponsor
Wright, Hatcher
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Effective date(s) 03/26/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how quickly state agencies will be able to share information with each other or what happens if someone cannot provide proof of financial need.

Changes to Electronic Monitoring Indigency Fund

This bill requires people ordered by courts to use ignition interlock devices to provide proof of financial need and allows state agencies to verify eligibility for assistance.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a person ordered by a court to use an ignition interlock device to show proof of financial need on the day they are ordered to use it.
  • Allows the state treasurer to ask federal and state agencies if someone is eligible for help from programs like food stamps or Medicaid.
  • Requires providers of ignition interlock devices to give information about who needs help paying for these devices to the state treasurer.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People ordered by courts to use ignition interlock devices
  • Providers of ignition interlock devices
  • State and local governments

Terms To Know

Electronic monitoring indigency fund
A fund that helps people pay for court-ordered electronic devices like ignition interlock devices if they cannot afford them.
Ignition interlock device
A device installed in a car to prevent it from starting if the driver has been drinking alcohol.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone cannot provide proof of financial need.
  • It is unclear how quickly state agencies will be able to share information with each other.
  • The bill only affects people who are ordered by a court to use an ignition interlock device.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/26/2026

  2. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 627

  3. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 627

  4. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  10. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  11. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  13. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0

  14. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  16. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/9/2026

  18. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/9/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/5/2026

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  21. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/4/2026

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to Next Available Calendar

  25. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/18/2026

  26. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  31. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  32. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  33. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law establishes the electronic monitoring indigency fund. This fund is composed of the ignition interlock device account, which pays eligible costs for a functioning court-ordered ignition interlock device, and the alternative device account, wh
ich pays eligible costs for an alternative court-ordered device. Providers of functioning ignition interlock devices and alternative electronic devices must submit claims and invoices to the state treasurer or respective local government for reimbursemen
t
from the indigency fund.

This bill requires the person ordered to use an ignition interlock device to provide the selected provider and the clerk of court that has jurisdiction over the person with (i) documentation demonstrating the person is qualified to receive funds on the d
ate the person was ordered to use the device, and (ii) an authorization for the state treasurer to obtain or access documentation from state or federal agencies verifying the person is qualified to receive funds. Further, this bill requires providers of
ig
nition interlock devices and alternative electronic devices to provide (i) the state treasurer with the documentation demonstrating a person is eligible to receive funds, and (ii) the respective local government with the affidavit of indigency, and other
information considered by the court to determine whether the person is indigent, for a person ordered to use an alternative device.

This bill authorizes the state treasurer to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the state agencies responsible for administering the supplemental nutritional assistance program, the temporary assistance for needy families program, or the state
medicaid program for the purposes of verifying whether a person is eligible to receive funds. The appropriate state agencies must cooperate with the exchange of documentation or information, as permitted by law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1845
By Hatcher

HOUSE BILL 1748
By Wright
HB1748
011198
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
55-10-419, relative to the electronic monitoring
indigency fund.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-419(j), is amended by deleting
subdivisions (2) and (3) and substituting:
(2) The person ordered to use an ignition interlock device shall provide the
selected provider and the clerk of the court that has jurisdiction over the person with:
(A) Documentation demonstrating that the person is either qualified to
receive or is receiving funds on the date the person was ordered to use the
device from at least one (1) of the sources listed in subdivision (h)(4); and
(B) An authorization and consent for the state treasurer to obtain or
access documentation or information from state or federal agencies verifying that
the person is either qualified to receive or is receiving funds on the date the
person was ordered to use the device from at least one (1) of the sources listed
in subdivision (h)(4).
(3) In addition to providing the information pursuant to subdivision (j)(1),
providers shall also provide:
(A) The state treasurer with the documentation and information
referenced in subdivision (j)(2), for persons ordered to use an ignition interlock
device; and

- 2 - 011198

(B) The respective local government with the affidavit of indigency, and
other information considered by the court to determine whether the person is
indigent, for a person ordered to use an alternative device.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-419(j), is amended by adding
a new subdivision:
(4) In order to verify that a person is receiving or is eligible to receive funds from
at least one (1) of the sources listed in subdivision (h)(4), the state treasurer is
authorized to enter into memoranda of understanding with appropriate state agencies.
The appropriate state agencies, as identified by the state treasurer, shall fully cooperate
with the exchange of documentation or information, as permitted by applicable laws and
rules.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.