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SB0591 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to threats of violence.

Children Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Haile, Doggett
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact effective date, but mentions July 1, 2025 as a possible start date.

Law to Protect Child Care and Religious Institutions from Threats

This law makes threatening mass violence against child care centers, preschools, or religious institutions a serious crime and requires people who know about such threats to report them.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new Class E felony for anyone who recklessly threatens mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution by any means of communication.
  • Authorizes courts to order evaluations of defendants released before trial if they might be dangerous.
  • Allows judges to make people pay back costs and damages caused by their threats when punishing them in court.
  • Requires anyone with knowledge of such credible threats to report them immediately to the police and affected institutions, or face a Class B misdemeanor penalty.
  • Says that juveniles who break this law will lose their driving privileges for a year.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who threaten violence against child care centers, preschools, or religious institutions
  • Courts dealing with cases involving these threats
  • Juveniles found guilty of making such threats

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence.
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime than a felony, usually punishable by fines or short jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not apply to people with intellectual disabilities.
  • It is unclear how much it will cost the state and local governments to enforce this law.
  • The bill has been signed but its exact effective date is yet to be determined.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1273

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB1273 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 591* House Bill No.
  • 1273 HA0997 015796 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0591

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB0591 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 591* House Bill No.
  • 1273 SA0007 003576 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0591

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 2 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 2 Amendment No.
  • 2 to SB0591 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 591* House Bill No.
  • 1273 SA0831 015796 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 5

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0997)

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  9. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  10. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0831)

  12. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0007)

  13. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  14. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  16. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  17. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  18. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  22. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  26. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  27. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  29. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  30. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  31. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  33. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  34. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  35. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  36. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  37. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recalled from Senate Calendar Committee

  39. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  40. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/25/2025

  41. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 2/25/2025

  42. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  43. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  44. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  45. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/18/2025

  46. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  47. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  48. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  49. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill creates a Class E felony for a person who recklessly, by any means of communication, threatens to commit an act of mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution. However, this offense does not apply
to a person with an intellectual disability.

Bail and Pretrial Release

As a condition of bail or other pretrial release, this bill authorizes the court to, in its discretion, order the defendant to undergo an evaluation to determine whether the defendant poses a substantial likelihood of serious harm to the defendant or oth
ers.

Restitution

In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, this bill authorizes a sentencing court to order a person so convicted to pay restitution, including costs and damages resulting from the disruption of the normal activity that would have otherwise occu
rred on the property of the child care agency, preschool, or religious institution but for the threat to commit an act of mass violence.

Juvenile Offenders

If a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for such a violation, then this bill requires the disposition to include, in addition to any other disposition authorized by law, the suspension of the juvenile's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver li
cense for a period of one year.

MANDATORY REPORTING

This bill requires a person who has knowledge of a threat of mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution to report the threat immediately to (i) the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the pro
perty; and (ii) the child care agency, preschool, or religious institution that is subject to the threat of mass violence. The report must include, to the extent known by the reporter, the nature of the threat of mass violence; the name and address of th
e
person making the threat; the facts requiring the report; and any other pertinent information. Any person who has knowledge of a threat of mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution and knowingly fails to re
port the threat commits a Class B misdemeanor.

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 591, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 provides that the requirement to report
a threat of mass violence is triggered when
the threat
is a credible threat.

A threat of mass violence is credible for purposes of this
amendment
if the threat causes another to reasonably expect the commission of an act of mass violence.

Additionally, present law authorizes a court, as
a condition of bail or other pretrial release,
to
order the defendant to undergo an evaluation
by

forensic services of the
department of mental health and substance abuse services

to determine
to determine
whether the defendant poses a substantial likelihood of serious harm to the person or others.
This amendment removes that such evaluations are conducted by forensic services and provides, instead, that such evaluation are conducted under laws pertaining to
emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1273
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 591
By Haile
SB0591
002327
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to threats of violence.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Child care agency" means the same as defined in § 71-3-501;
(2) "Mass violence" means the same as defined in § 39-16-517(a);
(3) "Means of communication" means the same as defined in § 39-16-
517(a); and
(4) "Property" means any building, motor vehicle, grounds, recreational
area, athletic field, or other property owned, used, or operated by the child care
agency, preschool, or religious institution.
(b)
(1) A person who recklessly, by any means of communication, threatens
to commit an act of mass violence on the property of a child care agency,
preschool, or religious institution commits a Class E felony.
(2) This section does not apply to a person with an intellectual disability,
as defined in § 52-1-101.
(c) As a condition of bail or other pretrial release, the court may, in its discretion,
order the defendant to undergo an evaluation, under § 33-7-301, to determine whether
the defendant poses a substantial likelihood of serious harm to the defendant or others.
(d)

- 2 - 002327

(1) Any person who has knowledge of a threat of mass violence on the
property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution shall report the
threat immediately to:
(A) The local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the
property; and
(B) The child care agency, preschool, or religious institution that
is subject to the threat of mass violence.
(2) The report must include, to the extent known by the reporter, the
nature of the threat of mass violence, the name and address of the person
making the threat, the facts requiring the report, and any other pertinent
information.
(3) Any person who has knowledge of a threat of mass violence on the
property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution and knowingly
fails to report the threat commits a Class B misdemeanor.
(e) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, a sentencing court may
order a person convicted under subsection (b) to pay restitution, including costs and
damages resulting from the disruption of the normal activity that would have otherwise
occurred on the property of the child care agency, preschool, or religious institution but
for the threat to commit an act of mass violence.
(f) If a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for a violation of subsection (b) pursuant
to title 37, chapter 1, part 1, then the disposition must include, in addition to any other
disposition authorized by law, the suspension of the juvenile's driving privileges or ability
to obtain a driver license for a period of one (1) year in accordance with the procedure
set out in title 55, chapter 10, part 7.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.