Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Amending Animal Cruelty Laws

This bill changes Tennessee's laws about animal cruelty by increasing penalties for aggravated cruelty and affecting how young offenders are treated.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the punishment for aggravated cruelty to animals from a Class E felony to a Class D felony, which means harsher penalties like longer jail time and bigger fines.
• Adds aggravated cruelty to animals as an offense that can classify a child aged 14 or older as a serious youthful offender if they meet certain criteria.
• Requires courts to add three more years of supervision for young offenders who are found guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals, beyond the usual period until age 19.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who commit aggravated cruelty to animals will face stricter punishments.
• Children aged 14 or older who commit aggravated cruelty to animals may be treated as serious youthful offenders and receive additional supervision.

Terms To Know

Class D felony

A more severe type of crime that carries harsher penalties than a Class E felony.

Serious youthful offender

A classification for young people aged 14 or older who commit certain serious crimes, leading to stricter legal consequences and longer periods of supervision.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the increased penalties will be enforced.
• It is unclear what additional resources might be needed to implement these changes in the justice system.

Official Summary Text

Under present law, aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class E felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a jury-assessed fine up to $3,000. This bill increases the offense classification for aggravated cruelty to animals to a Class D felony, w
hich is punishable by two to 12 years in prison and a jury-assessed fine up to $5,000.

"SERIOUS YOUTHFUL OFFENDER" CLASSIFICATION

Present law requires a court to classify a child 14 years old or older as a serious youthful offender if the child meets any of the following criteria:



The child is adjudicated delinquent for committing or attempting to commit first or second degree murder as a 14- or 15-year-old.



The child is adjudicated delinquent for certain listed offenses and the child has a prior adjudication of delinquency for any such certain listed offenses.



The child has been adjudicated delinquent for one of the listed offenses and the district attorney general has asked the court to classify the child as a serious youthful offender.

This bill adds aggravated cruelty to animals to the aforementioned list of offenses that may require the court to classify the child as a serious youthful offender if the above criteria is met.

ADDITIONAL DISPOSITION FOR AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

Present law authorizes a court to make any of several dispositions best suited to the child's treatment, rehabilitation, and welfare when a youth is found to be delinquent. A child classified as a serious youthful offender remains under such disposition
s until 19, and possibly until 24 depending on the offense. However, this bill requires the court to add an additional three-year disposition beyond the serious youthful offender's 19
th
birthday if the juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for aggravated crue
lty to animals.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1444
By Gillespie

SENATE BILL 1475
By Taylor

SB1475
008374
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37
and Title 39, relative to cruelty to animals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-14-212(d), is amended by
deleting "Class E felony" and substituting "Class D felony".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-131(g)(2), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(Q) Aggravated cruelty to animals, as defined in § 39-14-212.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-131(g)(1), is amended by
deleting "(g)(2)(C)-(P)" wherever it appears and substituting "(g)(2)(C)-(Q)".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-131(g)(4)(B), is amended by
deleting "Class B felony" and substituting "Class B felony or Class D felony".
SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts committed on or after that date.