All Roll Calls
Yes: 175 • No: 18
TennesseeHB 0576114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 13; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 56; Title 62 and Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 8, relative to bond.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Bonding, Surety and Professional
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Bail bondsmen need state licenses
The law creates a seven-member Tennessee Board of Professional Bondsmen; appointments and rulemaking take effect upon enactment. Other provisions take effect January 1, 2026, with licenses required to operate beginning March 1, 2026. Applicants must be at least 18, use the board’s form, and pay for a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation background check. Licenses last two years and require renewal; the board sets qualifications, practice standards, and continuing education rules. Applicants and licensees must list all Tennessee business locations and declare prior chapter-related revocations or convictions under penalty of perjury. A license becomes inactive when the department learns the bondsman no longer operates at the licensed location. Revocation following a conviction under the chapter bars licensing for five years from the conviction date. The Administrative Office of the Courts must give the board its current bondsman list by March 1, 2026.
Some officials cannot work as bondsmen
Elected peace officers, their deputies, and elected or appointed county officials cannot act directly or indirectly as professional bondsmen. Elected members of county legislative bodies are exempt from that restriction. People who own, run, or work for qualified electronic monitoring providers also cannot act as bondsmen. That restriction exempts people who were bondsmen and owned such providers before January 1, 2025.
Courts check bail providers more closely
The Department of Commerce and Insurance supplies courts and sheriffs with current lists of licensed professional bondsmen. Courts may accept bail undertakings only from licensed bondsmen or other sureties that also have county court approval and can pay. Professional bondsmen must show license proof in court, and specified bonding privileges require good standing with the board. Bondsmen must send required filings to both the board and circuit or criminal court clerks in each county. They must also tell the board in writing every county where a judge has approved them to provide bail.
Bail bondsmen face public discipline
The board handles complaints, investigates violations, and can deny, suspend, or revoke licenses and impose civil penalties. Bondsmen have 10 days after notice to request a hearing in writing; otherwise, they waive the hearing. Discipline is published, and the Department of Commerce and Insurance hosts a public registry covering the prior five years. Courts can separately restrict bonding privileges for conduct that harms clients or disrupts court, subject to board notice and review. Appeals go to the next higher court with criminal jurisdiction for a new hearing; district attorneys can seek removal from approved lists. Bankruptcy discharge leaving court forfeitures unpaid can trigger court restrictions and state license suspension or revocation, including cases involving corporate ownership. Arrested bondsmen must notify the board in writing within 72 hours; failure automatically suspends bonding privileges until a board hearing or resolution of charges.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
Dan Howell
Republican • House
Justin Lafferty
Republican • House
Cameron Sexton
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/21/2025
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/21/2025
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2025
Yes: 22 • No: 8
House vote • 4/21/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2025
Yes: 83 • No: 5
House vote • 4/17/2025
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 11 • No: 0
House vote • 4/17/2025
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Yes: 27 • No: 0
House vote • 4/16/2025
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Yes: 10 • No: 1
House vote • 4/9/2025
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 14 • No: 3
House vote • 3/26/2025
HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 8 • No: 1
Bill Text
HA0384 (Substitute)
4/21/2025
HA0498
4/21/2025
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
Introduced
SA0209
SA0405
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