District Attorneys

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 16 and Title 41, relative to public employee positions.

Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: Haile, Travis
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 information about the exact impact on crime rates or prison management.

Creating Legal Positions for State Correctional Institutions

This bill creates new assistant district attorney and criminal investigator positions to handle crimes related to state correctional institutions.

What This Bill Does

Adds ten additional assistant district attorney general positions initially funded at compensation level 5, with subsequent funding in accordance with present law.
Adds ten additional criminal investigator positions initially funded at compensation level 6, with subsequent funding in accordance with present law.
Assigns one assistant district attorney general position and one criminal investigator position to each of the specified judicial districts that include state correctional facilities.
Requires the department of correction to provide full access to premises, records, and evidence for these new positions when requested by a district attorney.

Who It Names or Affects

District attorneys general conference
Department of correction
Judicial districts containing state correctional institutions

Terms To Know

Compensation level: A specific pay grade for a job position.
State correctional institution: A prison or jail run by the state government.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how these positions will be funded beyond the initial period.
It is unclear if there are enough resources to support these new positions effectively.

Amendments

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

HA0329

Amendment 1-0 to HB0706

Plain English: The amendment adds new sections to Tennessee Code Annotated that create additional positions for assistant district attorneys general, criminal investigators, and assistant district public defenders in judicial districts with state correctional institutions.

Adds five (5) criminal investigator positions initially funded at compensation level 6 for specialized investigations related to crimes committed or occurring within state correctional institutions.
Creates ten (10) additional assistant district attorney general positions, ten (10) additional criminal investigator positions, and ten (10) additional assistant district public defender positions effective July 1, 2025.
Designates one set of these new positions for each of the first, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth, twentieth, twenty-second, twenty-fifth, twenty-ninth, thirtieth, and thirty-second judicial districts.

The amendment text does not specify how the remaining five (5) assistant district attorney general positions will be funded beyond initial compensation level 5.
It is unclear if there are any limitations on the discretion of district attorneys in allocating resources for these new positions.

SA0219

Amendment 1-0 to SB0924

Plain English: The amendment adds new positions for assistant district attorneys and criminal investigators to handle specialized cases related to state correctional institutions.

Adds five new criminal investigator positions initially funded at compensation level 6, which will be used by the District Attorneys General Conference.
Creates ten additional assistant district attorney general positions and ten additional criminal investigator positions starting July 1, 2025, to handle specialized cases related to state correctional institutions in specific judicial districts.

The amendment text does not specify the exact duties or responsibilities of these new positions beyond their role in handling specialized cases.
It is unclear how existing funds will be allocated and managed for hiring these additional positions.

Bill History

2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed behind the budget
2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/9/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/02/2025
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/26/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/12/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill
requires the department of correction to furnish and provide to the district attorneys general conference a total of 10 additional assistant district attorney general positions initially funded at compensation level 5 and thereafter compensated in accorda
n
ce with present law. The department must also furnish and provide to the district attorneys general conference a total of 10 additional criminal investigator positions initially funded at compensation level 6 and thereafter compensated in accordance with

present law.

This bill provides that the additional assistant district attorney general positions and criminal investigator positions created and provided pursuant to this bill are for the
purpose of conducting specialized criminal investigations and pro
secutions of any criminal offenses committed or occurring in or related to a state correctional institution, including violations of
certain criminal offenses described by this bill
. The department of correction
must
grant designated assistant district at
torneys general and criminal investigators complete access to the premises, books, records, electronic devices, and other evidence of criminal offenses kept or in the custody of the department. A request by the district attorney general must be honored,
a
nd the superintendent, director, warden, or employee of any state correctional institution must give full aid, support, and cooperation to the district attorney general in the investigation or prosecution as requested.

ASSIGNMENT TO JUDICIAL DISTRICTS

T
his bill requires each of the following judicial district to be assigned, as consistent with present law, one assistant district attorney general position and one criminal investigator position:



1st judicial district
(Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington);


9th judicial district
(Loudon, Meigs, Morgan, and Roane);


12th judicial district
(Bledsoe, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie);


15th judicial district
(Jackson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale, and Wilson);


20th judicial district
(Davidson);


22nd judicial district
(Giles, Lawrence, Maury, and Wayne);


25th judicial district
(Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, McNairy, and Tipton);


29th judicial district
(Dyer and Lake);


30th judicial distric
t (Shelby); and


32nd judicial district
(Van Buren and Warren).

This bill provides that the
number of assistant district attorney general and criminal investigator positions created by this
bill and other
law is the minimum number of positions authorized in each district. This
bill

and
other law does not prohibit or prevent the employment of additional assistant district attorneys general or criminal investigators in a particular judicial district, regardless of whether the positions are funded by a state or non-state source, or whethe
r
they are specifically enumerated in this
bill and other law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 706
By Travis

SENATE BILL 924
By Haile

SB0924
001902
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8;
Title 16 and Title 41, relative to public employee
positions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 51, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
41-51-401.
(a) The department of correction shall furnish and provide to the district
attorneys general conference a total of ten (10) additional assistant district attorney
general positions initially funded at compensation level 5 and thereafter compensated in
accordance with § 8-7-226. The department shall also furnish and provide to the district
attorneys general conference a total of ten (10) additional criminal investigator positions
initially funded at compensation level 6 and thereafter compensated in accordance with
§ 8-7-230, to be designated and assigned in accordance with § 16-2-523.
(b) The additional assistant district attorney general positions and criminal
investigator positions created and provided pursuant to subsection (a) are for the
purpose of conducting specialized criminal investigations and prosecutions of any
criminal offenses committed or occurring in or related to a state correctional institution,
including violations of title 39, chapter 13, parts 1, 2, 3, and 5; title 39, chapter 16, parts
1, 2, 4, 5, and 6; and title 39, chapter 17, part 4. The department of correction shall
grant designated assistant district attorneys general and criminal investigators complete
access to the premises, books, records, electronic devices, and other evidence of
criminal offenses kept or in the custody of the department. A request by the district

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attorney general must be honored, and the superintendent, director, warden, or
employee of any state correctional institution must give full aid, support, and cooperation
to the district attorney general in the investigation or prosecution as requested.
(c) This section does not limit or otherwise impede the discretion in the
performance of duties and responsibilities in the allocation of resources available to the
district attorney general pursuant to § 8-7-103.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 2, Part 5, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
16-2-523.
(a) In addition to positions created under this part, effective July 1, 2025, there
are created ten (10) additional assistant district attorney general positions and ten (10)
additional criminal investigator positions to be designated in judicial districts as provided
in this section and consistent with § 41-51-401.
(b) The additional assistant district attorney general positions and criminal
investigator positions created and provided pursuant to subsection (a) are designated
and assigned in judicial districts containing a state correctional institution, as follows:
(1) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the first judicial
district;
(2) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the ninth judicial
district;
(3) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the twelfth judicial
district;

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(4) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the fifteenth judicial
district;
(5) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the twentieth
judicial district;
(6) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the twenty-second
judicial district;
(7) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the twenty-fifth
judicial district;
(8) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the twenty-ninth
judicial district;
(9) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the thirtieth judicial
district; and
(10) One (1) assistant district attorney general position and one (1)
criminal investigator position are designated and assigned to the thirty-second
judicial district.
(c) The number of assistant district attorney general and criminal investigator
positions created by this section, § 16-2-506, or another provision of law is the minimum
number of positions authorized in each district. This section or any other provision of
law does not prohibit or prevent the employment of additional assistant district attorneys

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general or criminal investigators in a particular judicial district, regardless of whether the
positions are funded by a state or non-state source, or whether they are specifically
enumerated in this section, § 16-2-506, or another provision of law.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.