All Roll Calls
Yes: 244 • No: 0
TennesseeHB 0501114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 37, relative to juvenile justice.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Children and Youth, Commission on
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Expense repayment for juvenile review participants
Commission members serve without pay but can recover actual travel and other costs of meetings or commission duties. Witnesses called to testify may also receive repayment of actual expenses, at the commission’s discretion. State travel rules apply, and the law limits duplicate legislative compensation for meeting attendance. Staffing and expenses remain limited to available funds.
New oversight of Tennessee juvenile justice
The law creates the Tennessee Juvenile Justice Review Commission to find system gaps and recommend changes. Its case sample cannot exceed 10% of profiled cases. Reviews cover repeat delinquency cases, or a single proven delinquent act with a system concern. Concerns include out-of-state placement because Tennessee lacks resources, intellectual disability in a secure facility, or transfer to adult corrections for incorrigibility. They also include detention longer than 30 days or three placements in six months. The commission can review critical incidents involving delinquent youth in Department of Children’s Services custody. These include escapes, aggression, self-harm, alleged staff abuse, and incidents requiring inpatient psychiatric care. Starting October 1, 2025, the department must provide annual tables listing county, offense, age, and critical-incident details. Relevant agencies and providers must supply requested records, identify system gaps, and arrange testimony from the person who knows the case best. These requests cover repeat delinquency or unruly conduct, or critical incidents, and follow commission procedures and deadlines. The commission must first meet by November 1, 2025, and meet at least quarterly. Its progress report is due January 1, 2027; annual findings and recommendations begin January 1, 2028.
Juvenile reviews balance access and privacy
The commission can access confidential juvenile records for its reviews. Meetings discussing those records are closed, and confidential minutes and information must be sealed. Attendees must sign confidentiality statements acknowledging penalties for unauthorized disclosure. The information stays confidential, cannot be obtained through court discovery, and generally cannot be used as evidence. Disclosure is allowed only as needed for the commission’s work. Witnesses can still testify about information they learned independently outside commission meetings. The commission must periodically hold public meetings and can share findings that do not reveal protected details. People acting in good faith and following this law are protected from civil and criminal liability for those actions.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
Rebecca K. Alexander
Republican • House
Elaine Davis
Republican • House
Rick Eldridge
Republican • House
Ronnie Glynn
Democrat • House
T.J. Hardaway
Democrat • House
Torrey C. Harris
Democrat • House
Lowell Russell
Republican • House
Mike Sparks
Republican • House
Tom Stinnett
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/7/2025
FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 1 4/7/2025
Yes: 95 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/31/2025
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/31/2025
Yes: 30 • No: 0
House vote • 3/13/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/13/2025
Yes: 88 • No: 0
House vote • 3/10/2025
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/3/2025
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Yes: 9 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2025
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 15 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Bill Text
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
Introduced
SA0101
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