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SB0477 • 2026

Public Funds and Financing

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108, relative to compensation for persons who are wrongfully imprisoned.

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Active

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

Sponsor
Jackson, Doggett
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on how much compensation will be provided.

Compensation for Wrongfully Imprisoned People

This bill changes Tennessee laws about giving money to people who were wrongly put in jail and then freed.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the rules so that people who are wrongfully imprisoned can get compensation if their charges are dismissed and sentences are canceled.
  • Allows people whose cases were dismissed before this law was passed to file a claim within one year after it becomes law.
  • Gives surviving spouses and children of someone who died without filing a claim, the right to file for compensation on behalf of that person.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who were wrongfully imprisoned and then freed.
  • Surviving spouses and children of those who died before filing a claim.

Terms To Know

Exoneration
Being officially declared innocent after being wrongly accused or convicted.
Vacated Sentence
A court order that cancels a sentence, usually because it was given unfairly.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much compensation will be provided.
  • It is unclear when the bill might become law or what further steps are needed before it can take effect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/14/2026

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/7/2026

  7. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 1/13/2026

  9. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  10. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  11. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal. in Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  12. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  16. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  18. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  20. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  23. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/19/2025

  24. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/12/2025

  25. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  27. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  28. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/4/2025

  30. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  32. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  37. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  38. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  40. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  41. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 592
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 477
By Jackson

SB0477
001269
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-
8-108, relative to compensation for persons who
are wrongfully imprisoned.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108(a)(7), is amended by
deleting the following:
Shall hear claims for compensation by persons wrongfully imprisoned and granted
exoneration pursuant to § 40-27-109.
and substituting instead the following:
Shall hear claims for compensation by persons wrongfully imprisoned and granted
exoneration pursuant to § 40-27-109, and by persons wrongfully imprisoned whose
sentences are vacated pursuant to § 40-30-102(b)(2), § 40-30-117(a)(2), § 40-26-105, or
other law where actual innocence is determined, and the charges are subsequently
dismissed.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108(a)(7)(C), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting instead the following:
(i) If a person eligible to file a claim pursuant to this subdivision (a)(7) dies prior
to filing a claim, then the claim may be brought by the surviving spouse or children,
subject to the conditions of subdivision (a)(7)(F);
(ii) If the person dies without leaving a surviving spouse or surviving children,
then the payments must cease. Upon the death of the claimant, any monthly
installments left remaining must be paid to the claimant's surviving spouse and surviving
children in equal portions. The amount payable to the surviving spouse, if any, must be

- 2 - 001269

paid until the surviving spouse's death or remarriage. If the surviving spouse dies or
remarries, then the amount that was payable to the surviving spouse must be divided
equally among the claimant's surviving children. Each child must receive the child's
share until death, at which time the amount must be redistributed equally among the
remaining children;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108(a)(7)(F), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting instead the following:
(F) A claim for compensation under this subdivision (a)(7) must be filed with the
board no later than one (1) year from the date that the claimant is granted exoneration
pursuant to § 40-27-109, or the dismissal of charges, after the conviction is vacated
pursuant to § 40-30-102(b)(2), § 40-30-117(a)(2), § 40-26-105, or other law. A person
whose conviction was vacated and dismissed, pursuant to § 40-30-102(b)(2), § 40-30-
117(a)(2), § 40-26-105, or other law prior to the effective date of this act, has one (1)
year from the effective date of this act, to file a claim with the board;
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.