AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16 and Title 40, relative to the Tennessee Court Appearance Reminder Program Act.
HB2144 creates the Tennessee Court Appearance Reminder Program Act and directs the Administrative Office of the Courts, under the authority of the Tennessee Supreme Court, to establish and run a statewide automated reminder system for out-of-custody criminal and traffic court appearances. The program would send reminders by text message, email, or mail, with at least three reminders before each scheduled appearance, including one the day before court, and a follow-up notice after a missed appearance explaining how to resolve the issue and clear any resulting warrant.
The bill also sets out operational requirements for enrollment, notice content, language access, opt-out rights, and public methods for updating contact information. It requires data collection and reporting on enrollment, reminders sent, appearance rates, nonappearance rates, and failure-to-appear warrants, while limiting the use of collected contact information to court-notification purposes only. The act is intended to reduce missed court dates, lower warrant issuance, and conserve judicial, law enforcement, and correctional resources without changing criminal penalties or judicial discretion.
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 16 and 40 by adding a new chapter in Title 40 governing a statewide court appearance reminder program. It assigns implementation and administration to the Administrative Office of the Courts, authorizes coordination with clerks, judges, law enforcement, and other entities, and permits existing local reminder systems to continue if they meet statutory standards. The act would take effect January 1, 2027, and would affect defendants scheduled for out-of-custody criminal or traffic court appearances, as well as court administrators responsible for notices, data reporting, and privacy compliance.
The bill’s stated purpose and findings reflect a strongly supportive sentiment toward using automated reminders as a practical, cost-effective court administration tool. The legislative findings emphasize reduced failures to appear, fewer unnecessary arrests and jail admissions, and savings for courts, law enforcement, taxpayers, and defendants. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded opposition or floor debate in the supplied materials.
The main policy issues embedded in the bill are privacy, implementation burden, and scope. The bill addresses privacy concerns by limiting use of phone numbers and email addresses to court notifications and prohibiting use for criminal investigations, intelligence, bail determinations, or evidence. Potential points of contention could include whether the Administrative Office of the Courts should bear the cost and administrative responsibility, whether automated reminders are sufficient for defendants without reliable contact access, and how multilingual and mail-based notice requirements will be implemented statewide. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided record.