Tennessee House Bill HB0573

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/29/25
• Refer: 2/25/25
• Refer: 3/5/25
• Refer: 3/26/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, relative to criminal offenses.

Summary

HB0573 amends Tennessee’s criminal code by reducing a drug-quantity threshold in Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-417(j)(12) from 150 grams to 50 grams. The bill does not create a new offense; rather, it changes the amount of a controlled substance associated with an existing criminal offense classification, which can affect when a defendant is charged under that provision and the severity of the resulting penalty. In practical terms, the bill lowers the threshold for triggering the specified offense, meaning conduct involving smaller quantities of the covered substance would fall within the statute. The act is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, and would amend Title 39, Chapter 17, which governs criminal offenses related to controlled substances.

Impact

The bill directly amends Tennessee’s controlled-substances criminal penalties by changing the statutory quantity threshold in § 39-17-417(j)(12) from 150 grams to 50 grams. This would broaden the reach of the existing offense to include lower amounts, potentially increasing the number of prosecutions or the level of charges for drug-related conduct involving the covered substance. It affects defendants, prosecutors, defense counsel, and courts applying Tennessee drug laws.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support and no recorded opposition in committee, with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable recommendations in both the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the House Judiciary Committee. No committee transcripts were provided, but the vote pattern suggests the bill was viewed favorably and advanced without visible controversy at those stages.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only apparent policy issue is the substantive choice to lower the gram threshold from 150 to 50 grams, which could be seen as either a tougher enforcement measure or a necessary recalibration of drug penalties. Because there are no transcripts, it is not possible to attribute objections or support to particular legislators, advocates, or stakeholders.