AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to offenses against the family.
Summary
HB2183 makes a narrow procedural change to Tennessee’s law on offenses against the family. Specifically, it amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-502(c)(4), to require a court to hold a hearing on a motion no later than 20 days after the motion is filed. The bill does not change the underlying offense definitions or penalties; it only changes the timing for judicial review of a motion under that section.
The measure is set to take effect on July 1, 2026. In practical terms, it would impose a firm deadline on courts to act promptly once a motion is filed in the relevant family-offense proceeding, which could affect case scheduling and the pace of litigation in those matters.
Impact
The bill amends a specific provision in Title 39, Chapter 15 of the Tennessee Code by replacing existing hearing-timing language with a mandatory 20-day deadline. Its legal effect is limited to court procedure in the referenced section, and it would apply to cases governed by Tennessee’s offenses-against-the-family statutes. The bill does not create new criminal offenses or alter substantive rights, but it does require courts to schedule hearings more quickly once a motion is filed.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee transcript, vote history, or other discussion in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be directly measured from debate or recorded testimony. Based on the text alone, the bill appears administrative and procedural rather than controversial, with a likely focus on improving timeliness and certainty in court proceedings.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record. If any concerns were raised, they are not reflected in the available transcripts or votes. Potential areas of interest for stakeholders would likely include whether a 20-day deadline is workable for courts, prosecutors, defense counsel, and parties involved in family-related offense proceedings, but those views are not captured in the supplied materials.