PRIA Logo™
TennesseeSB 1202114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

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 bail bonds.

Sponsored By: Ed Jackson (Republican)

Became Law

Bonding, Surety and Professional

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Bail bondsmen can seek release after forfeiture

Beginning July 1, 2025, a bail bondsman can ask the court to be released from a forfeited bond. The bondsman must file a sworn affidavit showing good‑faith steps to find the defendant and get them to court. The court holds a hearing, includes the bondsman’s efforts in a written order, and decides on a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). If the judge finds good‑faith efforts, the court may release or exonerate the bondsman. The judge may consider records kept, tracking and search steps, leads on the defendant’s location, and other useful information.

Bondsmen must initial every bond order page

Beginning July 1, 2025, a clerk cannot accept a bail deposit from a bondsman until the bondsman initials each page of the bond order. The initials show the bondsman knows all bond conditions. The clerk must give the bondsman a copy and keep a copy in the defendant’s file. This adds a small recordkeeping step when posting bail.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Ed Jackson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Ferrell Haile

    Republican • Senate

  • Randy Lt. Governor McNally

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 127 • No: 7

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 86 • No: 7

Senate vote • 4/15/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/15/2025

Yes: 32 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/2/2025

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 395

    5/13/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

    5/13/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/5/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/23/2025Senate

  5. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/22/2025Senate

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/22/2025Senate

  7. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/22/2025House

  8. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/16/2025House

  9. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0323)

    4/16/2025House

  10. Passed H., Ayes 86, Nays 7, PNV 1

    4/16/2025House

  11. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0345)

    4/15/2025Senate

  12. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

    4/15/2025Senate

  13. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/15/2025Senate

  14. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

    4/14/2025Senate

  15. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

    4/11/2025Senate

  16. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

    4/2/2025Senate

  17. Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/2/2025

    4/1/2025Senate

  18. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/2/2025

    4/1/2025Senate

  19. Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

    3/31/2025Senate

  20. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

    3/31/2025Senate

  21. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/31/2025Senate

  22. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025

    3/26/2025Senate

  23. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/24/2025Senate

  24. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

    2/12/2025Senate

  25. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation