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SB1599 • 2026

Criminal Procedure

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to court costs.

Active

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

Sponsor
Lamar, Brooks
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

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to Court Costs for Criminal Cases

This bill stops courts from charging defendants with court costs if they are found not guilty or their cases are dismissed in criminal proceedings.

What This Bill Does

  • Stops courts from collecting court costs if a defendant is found not guilty by a jury or judge on all charges for which the defendant was accused.
  • Prevents the collection of court costs when the prosecution dismisses the case or enters nolle prosequi (a formal declaration that the prosecutor will no longer pursue charges).
  • Forbids charging defendants with court costs if their charges are dismissed by the court.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who go through criminal trials in Tennessee.
  • Courts and prosecutors handling criminal cases.

Terms To Know

Nolle prosequi
A legal term meaning the prosecutor decides not to pursue charges against a defendant.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be saved or lost by reducing court costs.
  • It is unclear exactly which cases this change will apply to in practice.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to SB1599

Plain English: The amendment allows defendants who have paid court costs that should have been covered by the state or county to ask the court for a refund.

  • Adds new subsection (b) to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-25-130, which lets defendants file a petition with the court to recover costs they paid when those costs should have been covered by the state or county.
  • The amendment does not specify how courts will handle these petitions or what criteria must be met for a defendant to receive a refund.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

  3. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 5, Nays 3 PNV 0

  4. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  7. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  9. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  10. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  11. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  12. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  13. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  14. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1721
By Brooks

SENATE BILL 1599
By Lamar
SB1599
009853
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 40, relative to court costs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-25-123, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(d) A court shall not assess court costs against a defendant if:
(1) The defendant is found not guilty by a jury or by a judge following a
bench trial on all charges for which the defendant was accused;
(2) The prosecution is dismissed or a nolle prosequi is entered by the
state; or
(3) The charges against the defendant are dismissed by the court.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.