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SB0710 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 16, Part 4, relative to misconduct involving public servants.

Active

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on additional punishments beyond mandatory community service.

Community Service for Misuse of Official Information

This bill requires at least 30 hours of community service as part of the punishment for misuse of official information.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law to add mandatory community service for people found guilty of misusing official information.
  • Requires courts to order at least 30 hours of community service as part of the punishment.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who misuse official information and are found guilty by a court.

Terms To Know

Misuse of Official Information
Using government or public information in an improper way, which is against the law.
Community Service
Volunteer work that a person must do as part of their punishment for breaking the law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how exactly the community service will be decided or what kind of volunteer work is allowed.
  • It's unclear if this change will prevent future misuse of official information.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  4. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  5. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  6. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  7. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 585
By Atchley

SENATE BILL 710
By Hatcher

SB0710
002583
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 16, Part 4, relative to misconduct
involving public servants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-404, is amended by deleting
subsection (b) and substituting:
(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. All violations must
be punished by at least thirty (30) hours of community service work to be determined by
the court, in addition to any other punishment authorized under § 40-35-111.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.