AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to crime stoppers programs.
Summary
HB1924 directs the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study crime stoppers programs across the state and develop recommendations to improve them. The required study is broad and includes reviewing how programs collect and report data, how they are funded and able to raise money, and how well they partner with local law enforcement and the community. TACIR must also identify ways to improve statewide coordination, accountability, public engagement, tip volume, program standards, and overall effectiveness.
The bill does not immediately change criminal statutes or create a new crime stoppers program structure. Instead, it creates a legislative study and reporting requirement, with TACIR authorized to request information from state and local entities and required to use existing resources. After completing the study, TACIR must report findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the relevant House and Senate judiciary committee chairs and the legislative librarian. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB1924 affects Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 38, 39, and 40 only indirectly by commissioning a TACIR study rather than amending substantive criminal law. Its practical impact is to gather information on crime stoppers operations, funding, reporting, and law-enforcement partnerships, which could lead to future legislation or administrative changes affecting local crime stoppers organizations, police agencies, and community tip programs.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received very positively and without opposition in committee and on the floor. It advanced unanimously through subcommittee and committee votes and passed on the House floor by consent calendar with no recorded dissent, suggesting broad bipartisan support for studying and strengthening crime stoppers programs.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The main policy questions embedded in the bill concern whether crime stoppers programs need greater statewide coordination, more consistent standards, stronger funding stability, and improved accountability. Because the measure is only a study bill and must be conducted using existing TACIR resources, any debate likely centers more on the value and scope of the study than on immediate regulatory burdens or costs.