Sentencing

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changing Sentencing Rules for Criminal Defendants

This bill changes how long criminal defendants can be required to serve time in jail before being put on probation and makes the state responsible for paying for their stay after one year.

What This Bill Does

• Increases from one year to three years the amount of time a defendant receiving a split sentence (part jail, part probation) must spend in jail continuously.
• Specifies that the state will pay all costs of keeping someone in jail or prison after the first year.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who receive criminal sentences from courts in Tennessee.
• The state government, which may have to cover more costs related to incarceration.

Terms To Know

Split sentence

A type of punishment where a person serves part of their time in jail and the rest on probation outside of jail.

Incarceration costs

The money needed to keep someone in jail or prison.

Limits and Unknowns

• It's hard to know exactly how much more it will cost the state because many factors can change.
• This bill did not pass and was stopped by a committee in the Senate.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2285
By Mitchell

SENATE BILL 2619
By Yarbro
SB2619
010901
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40
and Title 41, relative to the sentencing of criminal
defendants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-35-306(a), is amended by
deleting "one (1) year" and substituting "three (3) years", and by adding the following sentence
at the end of the subsection:
Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, the state is responsible for all costs of
incarceration after the first year.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-35-314(a), is amended by
deleting "periodic or split confinement not to exceed one (1) year" and substituting "periodic
confinement not to exceed one (1) year or split confinement not to exceed three (3) years".
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.