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SB1724 • 2026

Jails, Local Lock-ups

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 8; Title 29; Title 40 and Title 41, relative to arrestees.

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Active

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

Sponsor
Hatcher, Russell
Last action
2026-03-26
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not mention the specific allowance for jails to accept arrestees who refuse medical examination or attention. This claim was removed as there is no supporting evidence in the provided official source material.

Jails Can Refuse Arrestees with Medical Needs for Minor Crimes

This bill allows jails to refuse arrestees who need medical attention and have been arrested for minor crimes that do not involve hurting someone, provided the arresting agency gets a doctor's note saying the person no longer needs care.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows jailers, sheriffs, or deputy jailers to refuse or delay taking in an arrestee if the person requires medical attention and has been arrested for a misdemeanor that does not involve hurting another person.
  • Requires jails to document why they refused to take in an arrestee who needs medical help.
  • Clarifies that refusing an arrestee under these rules is not breaking any laws or court orders.
  • Requires police agencies to get a doctor's note saying the arrestee no longer needs medical care before sending them to jail.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Jailers and staff at local lock-ups
  • People arrested for minor crimes needing medical care
  • Police agencies that make arrests

Terms To Know

Misdemeanor
A less serious crime, usually punishable by a fine or short jail time.
Contempt of court
When someone disobeys a court order and can be punished for it.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much extra money jails might need to follow these rules.
  • It's unclear if the state will help pay any costs that local governments incur because of this law.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1815

Plain English: The amendment allows sheriffs and jail staff to refuse or delay taking in arrestees who have not received medical treatment for serious injuries, but requires them to accept arrestees once they are medically cleared.

  • Sheriffs and jail staff can now refuse or delay accepting arrestees if they haven't been treated for obvious serious physical injuries.
  • The arresting police agency must ensure the arrestee gets medical care before being sent to jail.
  • Jail staff must accept an arrestee once a healthcare provider gives them permission, along with documentation from the healthcare facility.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if the arrestee refuses medical treatment despite needing it.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1724

Plain English: The amendment allows jails to refuse or delay taking in arrestees who have not received medical treatment for serious injuries or conditions, and it clarifies the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies.

  • Jails can now refuse or delay accepting arrestees if they haven't been treated for obvious serious physical injuries or emergency health issues.
  • Law enforcement must provide medical care to arrestees before delivering them to jail.
  • If a healthcare provider releases an arrestee, jails are required to take custody of the person and receive documentation from the healthcare facility.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if law enforcement fails to provide medical care as required.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  5. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  7. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  8. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0758)

  9. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  10. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/26/2026

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 0

  15. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0665)

  16. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on cal. for 3/19/2026

  21. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  23. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  28. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  32. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  33. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill allows a jailer to refuse to accept into the jail an arrestee if the arrestee requires medical attention and has been arrested for a misdemeanor that does not constitute a crime against a person. If the jailer refuses to accept an arrestee pur
suant to this provision, the arresting agency must have the arrestee evaluated by a healthcare provider. If the provider releases the arrestee and specifies that the arrestee no longer requires medical attention or is medically able to be confined to a j
ai
l, then the jailer must accept the arrestee into the jail. Further, this bill clarifies that a jailer refusing an arrestee pursuant to these provisions is not in contempt of court.

ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1815, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill, to instead, authorize a
sheriff, jail administrator, or deputy jailer
to
refuse or delay acceptance into the jail an arrestee if the arrestee has not received medical treatment for obvious serious physical injuries or conditions of an emergency nature. Upon refusal or delay
,

t
he sheriff, jail administrator, or deputy jailer
must
document the factual basis for the determination
, and i
t is the responsibility of the arresting law enforcement agency to obtain medical attention
for the arrestee prior to delivery to the jail.

This amendment requires, u
pon medical release by the healthcare facility or healthcare provider, the sheriff, jail administrator, or deputy jailer
to
assume custody of the individual when presented at the jail. The arresting agency
must
provide the jail with the medical release or discharge documentation from the healthcare provider or healthcare facility.

This amendment also authorizes
the sheriff, jail administrator, or deputy jailer
to
accept an arrestee into custody who appears to be in need of medical attention and who refuses medical examination or medical attention. The sheriff, jail administrator, or deputy jailer is immune from civil and criminal liability for accepting such arr
estees into custody.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1815
By Russell

SENATE BILL 1724
By Hatcher
SB1724
010493
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 8; Title 29; Title 40 and Title 41, relative to
arrestees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 29-9-102, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection (b):
(b) This section does not apply to a jailer refusing an arrestee pursuant to § 41-
4-145.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 41-4-103(a)(7), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(7) Except as provided in § 41-7-145, all other persons committed to the jail by
authority of law.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 4, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
41-4-145.
(a) A jailer may refuse to accept into the jail an arrestee if the arrestee:
(1) Requires medical attention; and
(2) Has been arrested for a misdemeanor that does not constitute a
crime against a person, under title 39, chapter 13.
(b)
(1) If a jailer refuses to accept an arrestee into the jail pursuant to
subsection (a), then the arresting agency must have the arrestee evaluated by a
healthcare provider.

- 2 - 010493

(2) If a healthcare provider furnishes the arresting agency with a release
form specifying that the arrestee no longer requires medical attention or is
medically able to be confined to a jail, then the jailer shall accept the arrestee into
the jail.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.