AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8 and Title 38, relative to sexual assault response teams.
Summary
HB0696 creates the “Statewide Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Coordinator Act” and establishes a new statewide SART coordinator position. The coordinator’s role is to provide statewide leadership, technical assistance, training support, and oversight for local sexual assault response teams, with the goal of improving their compliance with applicable laws and their overall effectiveness in responding to sexual assault cases.
The bill places the coordinator within the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, where the coordinator would report to the organization’s executive director. It also directs the coordinator to submit an annual report by February 1 to legislative leaders and the legislative librarian describing the status of SARTs statewide, including training efforts, compliance levels, service gaps, systemic challenges, and recommendations for improvement. The act is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025, subject to appropriations and grant funding through the Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Criminal Justice Programs.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 38, Chapter 1, Part 9, by adding a new section establishing a statewide SART coordinator and defining the coordinator’s duties, reporting requirements, and funding mechanism. It also references Titles 4 and 8 in the act’s caption, though the operative provisions focus on criminal justice and sexual assault response coordination. The practical effect is to formalize statewide oversight and support for local sexual assault response teams and to create a recurring reporting obligation to the General Assembly.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill in committee, with unanimous favorable recommendations in both the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the House Judiciary Committee. No committee transcript is available, but the strong vote margins indicate generally positive sentiment toward improving coordination, training, and oversight of sexual assault response services. The bill appears to have been viewed as an administrative and public-safety measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No direct committee debate is available, so specific points of contention are not documented in the provided materials. Based on the bill text, any potential concerns would likely center on funding, because the coordinator position is subject to appropriations and grant support, and on the decision to house the coordinator within a nonprofit advocacy organization rather than a state agency. Another possible issue is oversight structure, since the bill creates a statewide role to monitor local SART compliance and effectiveness, which could raise questions about administrative authority and implementation.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55 and Title 65, relative to weapons.