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SB0108 • 2026

Correction, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, relative to oversight of governmental entities.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Jackson, Lafferty
Last action
2025-02-03
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how this change will affect current practices before July 1, 2025.

Reduces Reporting Time for Deaths in Custody

This bill shortens the time from ten to five business days for Tennessee's Department of Correction to report deaths of people in its custody to state legislators.

What This Bill Does

  • Shortens the reporting period from ten to five business days after a death occurs for the commissioner to notify state legislators representing districts where the deceased person resided.
  • Requires that reports include the name of the department facility where the death occurred.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Correction
  • State legislators representing districts where the deceased person resided

Terms To Know

business days
Days from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays and weekends.
custody
Being under the control or supervision of a government agency, like a prison.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not apply if the last known address of the deceased person is outside Tennessee.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect current reporting practices before July 1, 2025.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Withdrawn.

  2. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  5. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  6. 2025-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  7. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  8. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  9. 2025-01-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 287
By Lafferty

SENATE BILL 108
By Jackson

SB0108
000368
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
relative to oversight of governmental entities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-3-611, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting:
(a) For the purposes of oversight, the commissioner of correction shall provide a
report of the death of a person in the custody of the department at a department facility
within five (5) business days of the person's death to the state senator and
representative who represented the deceased person. The state legislators receiving
the report are determined by the last known home address of the deceased person in
this state.
(b) The information contained in the report required pursuant to subsection (a)
must include, but not be limited to, the name of the department facility where the death
occurred, subject to § 10-7-504.
(c) This section does not apply to the deaths of persons whose last known home
address was not in this state.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.