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SB0253 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to certain criminal offenses.

Active

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

Sponsor
Gardenhire, Farmer
Last action
2025-02-10
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how the bill will affect the protection of vulnerable adults or specify consequences for non-compliance by court clerks.

Changes to Reporting Time for Certain Criminal Offenses

This bill shortens the time limit for court clerks to report certain criminal convictions involving elderly and vulnerable adults from 90 days to 60 days.

What This Bill Does

  • Reduces the reporting period for court clerks to notify the health facilities commission about specific criminal offenses against elderly and vulnerable adults from 90 calendar days to 60 calendar days.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Court clerks who are responsible for reporting criminal convictions involving elderly and vulnerable adults.
  • Health facilities commission that maintains a registry of individuals who have abused, neglected, misappropriated, or exploited vulnerable adults.

Terms To Know

Registry
A list maintained by the health facilities commission containing names of people convicted of offenses against elderly and vulnerable adults.
Clerk of court
An official who manages records for a court, including reporting criminal convictions to other agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the consequences if the clerk fails to report within the new time limit.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect the overall process of protecting vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  2. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  4. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  5. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  6. 2025-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 488
By Farmer

SENATE BILL 253
By Gardenhire

SB0253
001800
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 15, relative to certain criminal offenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-506(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "ninety (90) calendar days" and substituting "sixty (60) calendar days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.