Sexual Offenders

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

Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: Carringer, Lowe
Last action: 2026-04-08
Official status: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms for campgrounds.

Sexual Offenders Must Notify Campgrounds

This bill requires sexual offenders to inform campground owners or operators about their status before staying overnight and sets penalties for not doing so.

What This Bill Does

Requires sexual offenders to tell the owner or operator of a campground about being a sexual offender before staying there overnight.
Makes it a felony if someone stays at a campground without telling the owner they are a sexual offender.
Sets fines and jail time for first, second, and third violations of this rule.

Who It Names or Affects

Sexual offenders who want to stay at campgrounds overnight
Campground owners and operators

Terms To Know

Class E felony: A serious crime that can result in jail time and fines.
Diversion: A program where someone who breaks the law avoids a criminal record if they complete certain requirements.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how campgrounds will enforce this rule.
It is unclear what happens to offenders who do not know about this requirement before staying at a campground.

Bill History

2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed behind the budget
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0
2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/16/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/10/2026
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/9/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

While mandated to comply with the requirements of
the
Tennessee Sexual Offender and Violent Sexual Offender Registration, Verification and Tracking Act of 2004,
this bill requires a
sexual offender or violent sexual offender
to
notify the owner or operator of a campground on which the offender intends to stay overnight of the offender's status as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender prior to the stay.

PENALTY

This bill provides that a
person who knowingly stays overnight at a campground without providing the notice
required above
commits a

Class E felony offense
, punishable in accordance with the following:



The first violation
is punishable by a fine of no less than $350 and imprisonment for no less than 90 days
.



A second violation
is punishable by a fine of no less than $600 and imprisonment for no less than 180 days.



A third or subsequent violation
is punishable by a fine of no

less than $1,100 and imprisonment for no less than one year.

This bill prohibits a
person violating this
bill from
be
ing
eligible for suspension of sentence, diversion
,
or probation until the minimum sentence is served in its entirety.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2030
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1922
By Carringer
HB1922
011155
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-39-211, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
( )
(1) While mandated to comply with the requirements of this part, a sexual
offender or violent sexual offender must notify the owner or operator of any
campground on which the offender intends to stay overnight of the offender's
status as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender prior to beginning the stay.
A person who knowingly stays overnight at a campground without providing the
notice required by this subsection ( ) commits an offense, which is punishable as
provided in subsections (f) and (g).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.