TennesseeLaw requires fugitive listings after certain missed felony court appearances
People who miss court for violent or sexual felonies must be listed in available fugitive databases if a court issues an arrest warrant.
What it does
People who miss court for a felony the court considers violent or sexual must be listed as fugitives in available databases if the court issues an arrest warrant.
Courts may excuse bail backers from payment if the defendant is not listed in an available fugitive database within five business days of the agency receiving the arrest warrant.
Argument forFugitive database listings could help authorities find defendants who miss court for felonies that a court considers violent or sexual.
Argument againstLate database entries could let bail backers avoid payment duties even when the defendant has missed court.
More detail
Defendants must be listed as fugitives in available state or federal lists or databases. The requirement covers those missed felony appearances. Covered databases include the National Crime Information Center. The court must issue an arrest warrant because the defendant missed court on a felony it determines is violent or sexual. The listing rule took effect on May 19, 2026, when the act became law.
A court may release the person or company backing bail from its duty to pay under the bail agreement. This provision covers people or companies responsible for payment under a defendant’s bail agreement. The defendant must not have been listed in an available state or federal fugitive list or database within five business days of the entering agency receiving the arrest warrant. The court decides whether to release the bail backer from payment duties; release is not automatic. This authority took effect on May 19, 2026, when the act became law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Pub. Ch. 1026Latest
- May 26Effective date(s) 05/19/2026
- May 19Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 7Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- May 5Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 30Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 23Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 33, Nayes 0
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 22Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 83, Nays 1, PNV 4
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 20Conference Committee appointed. (Haile, Hatcher, Lamar)
- Apr 16Senate refused to recede from amendment
- Apr 16H. Placed on Message Calendar 3 for 4-16-26
- Apr 16H. refused to recede from its non-concurrence
- Apr 16Conf. comm. appointed. (Rep. Scarbrough, Atchley, Hemmer, Doggett)
- Apr 15Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 14H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 1
- Apr 14Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 13H. Placed on Message Calendar
- Apr 9Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/9/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 9Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Apr 9Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0912)
- Apr 9Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 6Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/6/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026 4/2/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 6Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 2H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026
- Apr 1Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/1/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 1Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026
- Mar 25Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026
- Mar 25Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026
- Mar 18Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee 3/18/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
- Mar 11Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
- Feb 5P2C, ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Feb 5Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionIntroduced
Criminal Justice