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SB2169 • 2026

Public Defenders

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4, relative to the district public defender system.

Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Yager, Doggett
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 details on how the funding will be allocated or if there are any requirements for additional staff beyond the five new positions.

Adding Social Worker Positions for Public Defenders

This bill creates five new social worker jobs in Tennessee's public defender system starting July 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds five more social worker positions in the district public defender system starting July 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who need free legal help because they cannot afford a lawyer.
  • Social workers in Tennessee's public defender system.

Terms To Know

Public Defender
A lawyer paid by the government to represent people who can't afford their own lawyers in court cases.
General Fund
The main pot of money that a state uses to pay for different services and programs, including public defenders.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the new social workers will be hired or what their duties will be.
  • Only adds five positions, which may not meet all needs in Tennessee's public defender system.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  9. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  15. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  16. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  20. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  21. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  22. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  23. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  24. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  25. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  26. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  28. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2480
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 2169
By Yager
SB2169
012221
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4, relative to the
district public defender system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 14, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
8-14-115.
Effective July 1, 2026, there are created five (5) additional social worker positions
in the public defender system.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.