TennesseeTennessee requires registration for repeat convictions involving domestic abuse victims
Tennessee law requires people convicted of covered crimes against domestic abuse victims, with at least one proven prior covered conviction, to register and pay $150.
What it does
Courts must order people with a covered conviction and at least one proven prior covered conviction to register as repeat domestic violence offenders. Orders without a prior-conviction count use the registration period for one prior conviction.
The registry includes names, birth dates, conviction dates, counties of conviction, and photos. Public access must exclude addresses and government identification numbers.
People required to register must pay $150 at conviction. Of that fee, $50 supports registry administration and $100 supports grants for family violence prevention and intervention services.
Argument forPublic names, photos, and conviction details could help people identify repeat offenders while keeping addresses and government identification numbers private.
Argument againstThe $150 registration fee could make it harder for people with covered convictions to pay their other expenses.
More detail
Courts must order registration when a person has a covered conviction and at least one proven prior covered conviction. Covered crimes against domestic abuse victims include domestic assault, stalking, and other crimes listed in the law. Out-of-state convictions count when they match a listed Tennessee crime and involve a person covered by Tennessee's definition of a domestic abuse victim. Orders must state the number of prior convictions used. Without that count, the registration period defaults to the period for one prior conviction. The law took effect July 1, 2026. Clerks must send the final judgment to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation within seven days of receiving the judgment signed by the judge.
The registry must include identifying information and keep specified personal information out of public access. These rules cover people registered as repeat domestic violence offenders. Public access must exclude addresses, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and other state or federal identification numbers. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation determines what other identifying details are necessary to identify offenders correctly and avoid confusing them with innocent people. These rules took effect July 1, 2026.
People required to register must pay a $150 fee to the court clerk. The fee applies to defendants required to register as repeat domestic violence offenders. The fee is in addition to other punishment for the conviction. The clerk keeps $50 for registry administration and sends $100 to the Office of Criminal Justice Programs in Tennessee's Department of Finance and Administration for family violence prevention and intervention grants. Both shares remain reserved for their stated uses at year-end. The grant money carries forward instead of returning to the general fund. The fee provisions took effect July 1, 2026. Payment is due at conviction.
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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 18Pub. Ch. 921Latest
- May 18Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- May 1Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- Apr 21Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- Apr 20Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 16Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 15Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 14Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/14/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Apr 14Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0720)
- Apr 14Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 13H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0863)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/13/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026 4/9/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 13Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 13Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 13Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 9H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
- Apr 8Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
- Apr 7Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/7/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/1/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/7/2026
- Mar 25Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 3/25/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means SubcommitteeMinor
- Mar 25Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026
- Mar 18Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am 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
- Mar 4Ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Mar 4Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 5P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 3Filed for introductionIntroduced
Criminal JusticePublic Safety