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SB0238 • 2026

Bail, Bail Bonds

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to violations of condition of release.

Crime
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Taylor, Stevens
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 188
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the bill updates other parts of Tennessee’s bail and bond laws, only regarding venue for violations.

Changing Where People Can Be Tried if They Break Rules While Out on Bail

This bill changes where people can be tried in court if they break rules while out on bail or bond.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law to say that someone who breaks a rule while out on bail should be tried in the county where the breaking of the rule happened.
  • Allows for cases involving violations across multiple counties to be tried in either county involved.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are out on bail or bond and violate their release conditions
  • Courts that handle these types of cases

Terms To Know

Venue
The specific court where a case can be tried.
Violation of condition of release
Breaking the rules set by a judge when someone is out on bail or bond.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if multiple counties claim jurisdiction over a violation.
  • The bill does not change other aspects of bail and bond laws beyond venue for violations.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0078

Plain English: The amendment changes where a person accused of breaking their bail conditions can be tried.

  • Adds new rules about which court can handle cases when someone violates the terms of their release from jail.
  • The text does not explain how this change will affect current practices or what specific violations it covers.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0238

Plain English: The amendment changes where a person accused of breaking their bail conditions can be tried.

  • Adds new rules about which court can handle cases when someone violates their release conditions.
  • The exact details on how this will affect current laws are not fully explained in the amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 188

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/11/2025

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 188

  4. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 28, Nays 1, PNV 1

  12. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0203)

  13. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

  15. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 1 PNV 0

  16. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  17. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  18. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  19. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0038)

  20. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  22. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 3/20/2025

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on next avail. cal.

  24. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  25. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/13/2025

  26. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  27. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/5/2025

  28. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  30. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  31. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 2/19/2025

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  35. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  36. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2025-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  39. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  40. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  41. 2025-01-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 20, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 78, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 adds that
if one or more elements of the offense are committed in one county and one or more elements in another county, then the of
fense may be prosecuted in either county.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 78
By Stevens

SENATE BILL 238
By Taylor

SB0238
000873
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 40, relative to violations of condition of
release.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-11-154, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(e) Venue for prosecution under this section is the county in which the conduct
constituting the violation of a condition of release occurred.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.