Official Summary Text
ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2650, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require a notification of a restorative justice option, which is
a voluntary, victim-centered process that may include facilitated communication, conferencing, community repair agreements, or other structured accountability and repair practices, provided through a program listed in
the directory as
described below, for victims in Davidson and Shelby counties as follows:
In applicable cases, the clerk of the court having jurisdiction over criminal cases
must
use existing resources and forms of communication to provide the standardized notice to a victim in connection with the first court appearance at which the case is pending and the victim is identifiable
.
A law enforcement agency that takes the report or is otherwise in contact with a victim may provide the standardized notice electronically or in writing when contact information is available
.
An assigned victim-witness coordinator may provide the standardized notice electronically or in writing and may respond to requests for additional information.
This amendment provides that t
he notification requirements apply in counties for 24 months beginning on November 1, 2026, unless extended by the general assembly. If a directory has not yet been established by November 1, 2026,
then
the notification requirements will begin once the directory is available.
D
uring the pilot period, a notifying entity
must
provide a victim with a standardized notice that includes
c
ontact information for the directory host so that the victim may request additional informatio
n and access the directory
,
and
t
he statements required
by
a standardized notice
.
The standardized notice is required to state all of the following:
Victim-centered restorative justice options may be available in some cases
.
Participation is voluntary and the victim is not required to pursue a restorative justice option
.
The decision whether to participate does not limit any rights or remedies available to the victim
.
The district attorney general is not required to offer, approve, or delay prosecution based on a victim's request for information or participation in any restorative justice option listed in the directory
.
A decision by any person not to participate shall not be the basis for an adverse inference in charging decisions, plea negotiations, sentencing recommendations, or conditions of release
.
Participation may have legal implications for any participant.
This amendment clarifies that p
roviding the standardized notice satisfies the
above
requirement. A
n identified
notifying entity is not required to determine eligibility, appropriateness, program availability, or to make a referral. A single notification to the victim satisfies th
e notification requirement
.
This amendment requires a
directory that is provided to victims
to
, at a minimum, include for each listed restorative justice option
all of the following
:
Contact methods
.
Counties served and service modality, including whether service is provided in-person or virtually
.
A statement that availability may vary by county and program capacity
.
A statement that each restorative justice option included in the directory is currently operating in each pilot county
.
A statement that each restorative justice option has established eligibility criteria, screening practices, informed-consent standards, trauma-informed practices, safety planning procedures, and any other protocols that the directory host deems necessary for listing a restorative justice option
.
A method for submitting feedback or complaints to the directory host.
However, this amendment clarifies that t
he directory is informational, and a listing in the directory does not constitute endorsement by this state, a court, a district attorney general, a law enforcement agency, the directory host, the notifying entities, or any other state or local entity.
This amendment requires
a juvenile court clerk in a county that is part of a pilot project
to
provide notification of a restorative justice option to a victim, during the pilot period
in the following cases: (i) a
case in which the juvenile is eligible for adjudication as a serious youthful offender
and (ii) a
case in which the juvenile is eligible for transfer to criminal court.
However, n
otification of a restorative justice option by the juvenile court clerk does not relieve a criminal court clerk of th
e duty to notify a victim of a restorative justice option. The juvenile court clerk must provide the notification of a restorative justice option required by using existing resources and forms of communication.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 2650
By Roberts
HOUSE BILL 2564
By Freeman
HB2564
012584
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29;
Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to
victims.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 29-13-405(1), is amended by
deleting "By direct notification," and substituting "By direct notification, including by email, phone
call, and text message,".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.