Official Summary Text
Present law provides that a person is not eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage restored, unless the person has paid all court costs assessed against the person at the conclusion of the person's trial, except wher
e the court has made a finding at an evidentiary hearing that the applicant is indigent at the time of application. This bill removes this provision.
Present law provides that a person is not eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right to suffrage restored, unless the person is current in all child support obligations. This bill, instead, requires the person to be compliant wit
h all current child support orders, including orders related to child support arrearages.
Present law prohibits persons convicted of certain offenses from ever being eligible to register and vote in this state. This bill, instead, provides that such persons are ineligible to register and vote in this state unless at least three years have el
apsed since the person's sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to restore their right of suffrage. The offenses are as follows:
Those convicted after July 1, 1986, of the offenses of voter fraud, treason, murder in the first degree, or aggravated rape.
Those convicted after July 1, 1996, but before July 1, 2006, of any of the offenses set out in the prior provision or any other degree of murder or rape.
Those convicted on or after July 1, 2006, of (i) any of the offenses set out in the prior two provisions; (ii) any other violation of bribery offenses, misconduct involving public officials and employee offenses, and interference with government operations offenses, that are designated as a felony or any violation containing the same elements and designated as a felony in any other state or federal court; or (iii) any sexual offense or violent sexual offense set out in certain law that is designated as a felony or any violation containing the same elements and designated as a felony in any other state or federal court and where the victim of the offense was a minor.
ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND RESET SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 removes the provision authorizing persons convicted of certain offenses as described in the summary to be eligible to register and vote in this state if at least three years have elapsed since the person's sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to restore their right of suffrage.
ON APRIL 10, 2025, THE SENATE FURTHER CONSIDERED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED BY AMENDMENT #2, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #3, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #3 revises the provision requiring the person seeking a voter registration card and the right to suffrage to be restored to be compliant with all current child support orders, including orders related to child support arrearages, by requiring such compliance for the previous 12 months.
ON MARCH 9, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 336 FOR HOUSE BILL 687,
ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, revise present law that prohibits a
person convicted of an infamous crime after May 18, 1981,
from being
eligible to have the right
to vote
restored unless the person
meets all of the following requirements:
(1)
The person h
as paid all restitution to the victim or victims of the offense ordered by the court as part of the sentence
.
(2)
The person has
paid all court costs assessed against the person at the conclusion of the person's trial, except where the court has made a finding at an evidentiary hearing that the person is indigent at the time of filing the petition for restoration of the right of s
uffrage
.
(3)
The person i
s current in all child support obligations.
This amendment removes (2) and (3) above and, instead, requires the person to have
been compliant with all child support orders for the previous 12 months, including orders related to child support arrearages.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 687
By Camper
SENATE BILL 336
By Akbari
SB0336
002000
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2 and
Title 40, relative to voting rights.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-202, is amended by deleting
subdivision (b)(2).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-202(c), is amended by
deleting "unless the person is current in all child support obligations" and substituting "unless
the person is compliant with all current child support orders, including orders related to child
support arrearages".
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-204, is amended by deleting
the following language:
Notwithstanding this part, the following persons shall never be eligible to register
and vote in this state:
and substituting instead:
Notwithstanding this part, the following persons are ineligible to register and vote
in this state, unless at least three (3) years have elapsed since the person's
sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to
restore their right of suffrage:
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-105, is amended by deleting
subdivision (b)(2) and substituting:
(2) A person rendered infamous after July 1, 1986, by virtue of being convicted
of first degree murder, aggravated rape, treason, or voter fraud is ineligible to register
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and vote in this state unless at least three (3) years have elapsed since the person's
sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to restore their
right of suffrage.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-29-105(c)(2)(B), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(B) A person convicted of an infamous crime may petition for restoration upon
the expiration of the maximum sentence imposed by the court for the infamous crime;
provided, that a person convicted of murder, rape, treason, or voter fraud is ineligible to
register and vote in this state unless at least three (3) years have elapsed since the
person's sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to
restore their right of suffrage;
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.