HB2452 • 2026

Expunction

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, relative to expungements following a pardon.

Children Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: Garrett, Johnson
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details about the factors beyond violence that courts will consider, leaving room for interpretation.

Expunction Law Changes

This bill changes Tennessee's expungement laws to allow certain offenses to be expunged after a pardon if they are not among specific violent felonies.

What This Bill Does

Removes the requirement that an offense must be nonviolent for expungement after a pardon.
Lists seven felony offenses that cannot be expunged, including murder, kidnapping, child abuse, robbery, terrorism, and certain sexual crimes involving minors or requiring registration as a sex offender.
Requires courts to consider whether an offense was violent when deciding if it should be expunged.

Who It Names or Affects

People who have been convicted of certain felonies and have received a pardon.
Courts that handle expungement requests.
District attorneys general involved in reviewing expungement cases.

Terms To Know

Expunction: A legal process where criminal records are destroyed or sealed, making it as if the crime never happened.
Pardon: An official act by a government authority that forgives someone for a crime and removes any penalties associated with it.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how courts should weigh the best interests of justice and public safety when considering expungement requests.
It is unclear what specific factors beyond whether an offense was violent will be considered by the court in making decisions on expungements.

Bill History

2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate, Ayes 29, Nays 0
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
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
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes certain eligible petitioners to apply for expunction of a conviction if certain requirements are met. One such requirement for a
person who was convicted of a nonviolent crime
is that such person must p
etition the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense and the judge
found
that the offense was a nonviolent crime
. This bill removes this provision and provides, instead, that an
eligible petitioner means a person who
p
etitioned the court in which the petitioner was
convicted of the offense and the judge
found
the conviction was not for one of the following felony offenses, or an attempt, conspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit one of the following felonies:



First degree murder


Second degree murder


Especially aggravated kidnapping


Aggravated child abuse


Especially aggravated robbery


Commission of act of terrorism


A sexual offense for which the offender is required to register as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender or any sexual offense involving a minor

If the petitioner is an eligible petitioner pursuant to
the above
, th
is bill requires the
court
to
consider, in weighing the best interests of justice and public safety, whether the offense sought to be expunged was violent and any other relevant factors presented by the petitioner and the district attorney general.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2197
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2452
By Garrett
HB2452
011737
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40,
relative to expungements following a pardon.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-107(d)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "was convicted of a nonviolent crime if the person".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-107(d)(1)(A), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(A) Petitioned the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense and
the judge finds the conviction was not for one (1) of the following felony offenses, or an
attempt, conspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit one (1) of the following felonies:
(i) Section 39-13-202 - First degree murder;
(ii) Section 39-13-210 - Second degree murder;
(iii) Section 39-13-305 - Especially aggravated kidnapping;
(iv) Section 39-15-402 - Aggravated child abuse;
(v) Section 39-13-403 - Especially aggravated robbery;
(vi) Section 39-13-805 - Commission of act of terrorism; or
(vii) A sexual offense for which the offender is required to register as a
sexual offender or violent sexual offender under chapter 39, part 2 of this title, or
any sexual offense involving a minor;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-108(d)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) In making a decision on the petition, the court shall weigh the interest of the
petitioner against the best interests of justice and public safety. If the petitioner is an

- 2 - 011737

eligible petitioner pursuant to § 40-32-107(a)(1)(A)-(E) and meets the applicable
requirements in § 40-32-107, then there is a rebuttable presumption that the petition
should be granted. If the petitioner is an eligible petitioner pursuant to § 40-32-107(d),
the court shall consider, in weighing the best interests of justice and public safety,
whether the offense sought to be expunged was violent and any other relevant factors
presented by the petitioner and the district attorney general.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.