Expunction

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, relative to expungements following a pardon.

Children Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: Johnson, Garrett
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: Signed by Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not mention the creation of a presumption in favor of granting expunction petitions.

Expunction Law Changes

This bill amends Tennessee's expungement laws to allow certain violent offenses to be expunged if a person has been pardoned and does not meet specific criteria.

What This Bill Does

Removes the requirement that a person must have been convicted of a nonviolent crime to apply for an expunction.
Lists seven felony offenses, including murder and sexual offenses involving minors, which cannot be expunged unless the petitioner was pardoned.
Requires courts to consider whether the offense sought to be expunged is violent when deciding if it should be removed from public records.

Who It Names or Affects

People who have been convicted of felonies and are seeking to have their criminal records expunged.
Courts responsible for reviewing expunction petitions.
District attorneys general involved in the decision-making process.

Terms To Know

Expunction: The legal process of removing or destroying records of an arrest, charge, indictment, or conviction from public access.
Pardon: An official act by a government authority that forgives someone for a crime and removes the penalties associated with it.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify when exactly it will take effect.
It is unclear how many people will be affected by these changes to expunction laws.

Bill History

2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Governor.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate, Ayes 29, Nays 0
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes certain eligible petitioners to apply for expunction of a conviction if certain requirements are met. One such requirement for a
person who was convicted of a nonviolent crime
is that such person must p
etition the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense and the judge
found
that the offense was a nonviolent crime
. This bill removes this provision and provides, instead, that an
eligible petitioner means a person who
p
etitioned the court in which the petitioner was
convicted of the offense and the judge
found
the conviction was not for one of the following felony offenses, or an attempt, conspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit one of the following felonies:



First degree murder


Second degree murder


Especially aggravated kidnapping


Aggravated child abuse


Especially aggravated robbery


Commission of act of terrorism


A sexual offense for which the offender is required to register as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender or any sexual offense involving a minor

If the petitioner is an eligible petitioner pursuant to
the above
, th
is bill requires the
court
to
consider, in weighing the best interests of justice and public safety, whether the offense sought to be expunged was violent and any other relevant factors presented by the petitioner and the district attorney general.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2452
By Garrett

SENATE BILL 2197
By Johnson
SB2197
011737
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40,
relative to expungements following a pardon.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-107(d)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "was convicted of a nonviolent crime if the person".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-107(d)(1)(A), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(A) Petitioned the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense and
the judge finds the conviction was not for one (1) of the following felony offenses, or an
attempt, conspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit one (1) of the following felonies:
(i) Section 39-13-202 - First degree murder;
(ii) Section 39-13-210 - Second degree murder;
(iii) Section 39-13-305 - Especially aggravated kidnapping;
(iv) Section 39-15-402 - Aggravated child abuse;
(v) Section 39-13-403 - Especially aggravated robbery;
(vi) Section 39-13-805 - Commission of act of terrorism; or
(vii) A sexual offense for which the offender is required to register as a
sexual offender or violent sexual offender under chapter 39, part 2 of this title, or
any sexual offense involving a minor;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-108(d)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2) In making a decision on the petition, the court shall weigh the interest of the
petitioner against the best interests of justice and public safety. If the petitioner is an

- 2 - 011737

eligible petitioner pursuant to § 40-32-107(a)(1)(A)-(E) and meets the applicable
requirements in § 40-32-107, then there is a rebuttable presumption that the petition
should be granted. If the petitioner is an eligible petitioner pursuant to § 40-32-107(d),
the court shall consider, in weighing the best interests of justice and public safety,
whether the offense sought to be expunged was violent and any other relevant factors
presented by the petitioner and the district attorney general.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.