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SB0300 • 2026

Sentencing

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-35-302, relative to sentencing requirements for certain misdemeanor offenders.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Roberts, Scarbrough
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 481
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify what happens if an offender cannot afford the course or needs financial assistance.

Sentencing Requirements for Misdemeanor Offenders

This law requires people convicted of Class A misdemeanors in general sessions court to complete a cognitive behavioral training course at their own expense and provides rules for these courses.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires someone found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor in general sessions court to pay for and take a cognitive behavioral training course.
  • Makes it mandatory for the offender to show proof of completing the course within a time set by the court, or face up to ten days in jail if they do not comply.
  • Specifies that the training must be available online and in multiple languages, cost no more than $100 with payment options, and include human interaction like grading and feedback.
  • Requires providers of these courses to have a track record of success and offer support services for offenders.
  • Allows counties or cities to provide in-person training programs but requires them to also offer an online option that meets the law's requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People convicted of Class A misdemeanors in general sessions court
  • Counties and municipalities providing cognitive behavioral training courses

Terms To Know

Cognitive Behavioral Training Course
A course designed to change thinking patterns and behaviors through learning.
Contempt of Court
When someone disobeys a court order, which can lead to penalties like jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact cost increase for counties and municipalities due to this law is not known because it depends on many factors.
  • This bill does not specify what happens if an offender cannot afford the course or needs financial assistance.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0371

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for certain misdemeanor offenders to complete a cognitive behavioral training course at their own expense.

  • People convicted of Class A misdemeanors in general sessions court must complete a cognitive behavioral training course unless the judge decides it's not appropriate.
  • If someone is sentenced to jail time, they have to finish the training after being released.
  • Offenders must pay for the course themselves and provide proof of completion within a specified timeframe or face up to ten days in contempt of court.
  • The amendment specifies many details about the training courses but does not explain how these requirements will be enforced or what happens if an offender cannot afford the $100 cost.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0300

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for people convicted of certain misdemeanors to complete a cognitive behavioral training course and pay for it.

  • People convicted of Class A misdemeanors must now complete a cognitive behavioral training course as part of their sentence.
  • Offenders have to prove they completed the course within a specified time or face up to ten days in contempt of court.
  • The training course must be available online, cost no more than $100, and include human interaction such as grading and feedback.
  • The amendment does not specify which exact misdemeanors are covered beyond mentioning Class A misdemeanors.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0300

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for certain misdemeanor offenders to complete a cognitive behavioral training course at their own expense.

  • People convicted of Class A misdemeanors in general sessions court must complete a cognitive behavioral training course unless the judge decides it's not appropriate.
  • If someone is sentenced to jail time, they have to finish the training after being released.
  • Offenders must pay for the course themselves and provide proof of completion within a specified timeframe or face up to ten days in contempt of court.
  • The amendment specifies detailed requirements for the training courses but does not explain how these changes will be implemented or enforced in practice.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 481

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 481

  4. 2025-05-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  10. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 25, Nays 5, PNV 3

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA0369)

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0207)

  13. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  15. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 89, Nays 3, PNV 1

  17. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0322)

  18. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  20. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  21. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/17/2025

  22. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  23. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  24. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/17/2025

  25. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  27. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  28. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  29. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  30. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/15/2025

  31. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  32. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  33. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  34. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/8/2025

  35. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025

  36. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1

  37. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  39. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  40. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025

  41. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  42. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 4/2/2025

  43. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  44. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  45. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  46. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/26/2025

  47. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  48. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  49. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  50. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  51. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  52. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  53. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  54. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

In addition to any other sentence authorized by present law, this bill requires a person convicted of a Class A or B misdemeanor in ge
neral sessions court to be required to complete a cognitive behavioral training course at the offender's expense. The offender must provide proof of course completion to the court or the court's designee within the time period specified by the court. An

offender who willfully fails to complete the course or to provide proof of completion within the specified time period is in contempt of court and may be punished by confinement of up to 10 days.

This bill requires such a cognitive behavioral training co
urse to (i) be available to be completed online via computer or mobile device; (ii) be available in languages other than English; (iii) cost the offender no more than $100 and offer payment options; and (iv) include required human interaction in the compl
e
tion of the course, including, but not limited to, grading, feedback, or guidance.

Further, this bill requires an entity providing such a course online to (i) be a current provider of online cognitive behavioral services to a federal, state, or local ent
ity, with documented or published results of effectiveness; (ii) be available to provide telephone support for offenders at least five days per week; (iii) provide human facilitators responsible for grading course materials; (iv) provide the offender with

a certificate of completion within 72 hours of finishing the course; and (v) provide all necessary informational or referral materials to counties at no cost to the county.

This bill authorizes a county or municipality to provide an in-person cognitive b
ehavioral training program. However, if such a program is offered, then the county or municipality must also offer an online cognitive behavioral training program that complies with the requirements of this bill.

ON APRIL 21, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AME
NDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 371, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the requirement for cognitive behavioral training apply only to persons convicted of a Class A misdemeanor in general sessions court and adds that the training is not required if the cou
rt
deems such a requirement to be inappropriate
. This amendment also specifies the following with regard to cognitive behavioral training courses required by this bill:

(1) I
f incarceration is part of the person's sentence, then the course must be comp
leted after the period of incarceration is completed
;

(2) The requirement that the offender pay the cost of the course applies without regard to whether the offender is indigent; and

(3) The requirement for taking the course applies to offenses committ
ed on or after July 1, 2025.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 371
By Scarbrough

SENATE BILL 300
By Roberts

SB0300
001798
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
40-35-302, relative to sentencing requirements for
certain misdemeanor offenders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-35-302, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
( )
(1) In addition to any other sentence authorized by this section, a person
convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor in general sessions court shall
be required to complete a cognitive behavioral training course.
(2) The offender must pay the cost of the course.
(3) The offender must provide proof of course completion to the court or
the court's designee within the time period specified by the court. An offender
who willfully fails to complete the course or to provide proof of completion within
the specified time period is in contempt of court and may be punished by
confinement of up to ten (10) days.
(4) A cognitive behavioral training course used to fulfill the requirement in
this subsection ( ) must:
(A) Be available to be completed online via computer or mobile
device;
(B) Be available in languages other than English;
(C) Cost the offender no more than one hundred dollars ($100)
and offer payment options; and

- 2 - 001798

(D) Include required human interaction in the completion of the
course, including, but not limited to, grading, feedback, or guidance.
(5) An entity providing a cognitive behavioral training course online must:
(A) Be a current provider of online cognitive behavioral services
to a federal, state, or local entity, with documented or published results of
effectiveness;
(B) Be available to provide telephone support for offenders at
least five (5) days per week;
(C) Provide human facilitators responsible for grading course
materials;
(D) Provide the offender with a certificate of completion within
seventy-two (72) hours of finishing the course; and
(E) Provide all necessary informational or referral materials to
counties at no cost to the county.
(6) A county or municipality may provide an in-person cognitive
behavioral training program; provided, however, that if such a program is offered,
the county or municipality must also offer an online cognitive behavioral training
program that complies with the requirements of subdivisions ( )(4)–(5).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect on July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.