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SB0491 • 2026

Criminal Procedure

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, relative to the death penalty.

Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Bowling, Russell
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the exact process or dosage of pharmaceutical fentanyl, leaving these aspects undefined and open to interpretation.

Death Penalty Lethal Injection Protocol

This bill allows Tennessee to use pharmaceutical fentanyl in lethal injection procedures for executions.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee's death penalty law to include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl as part of lethal injection procedures.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People sentenced to death in Tennessee who may have their sentences carried out using fentanyl.
  • State officials and agencies responsible for carrying out death penalty procedures.

Terms To Know

lethal injection
A method of execution where a person is put to death by being given drugs that cause death.
pharmaceutical fentanyl
A powerful painkiller drug used in medical settings, but also used illegally. This bill allows it for lethal injection in executions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much fentanyl can be used or the exact process of its administration.
  • It is unclear what other drugs might still be allowed to be used alongside fentanyl in lethal injections.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  3. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  4. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  5. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  6. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  7. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  8. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  9. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  11. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  13. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  14. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  15. 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 1022
By Russell

SENATE BILL 491
By Bowling

SB0491
000695
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40,
relative to the death penalty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-23-114, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(g) For purposes of carrying out a sentence of death, lethal injection protocol
may include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl.
SECTION 2. For purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming a
law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the
public welfare requiring it.