AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16 and Title 17, relative to the Tennessee supreme court.
Summary
SB0004 amends Tennessee law governing expenses for the state supreme court by requiring that annual expenses include enough funding to provide the chief justice with a security detail. The security detail must transport and accompany the chief justice on all official state business. The bill is narrowly focused on judicial security and does not otherwise alter the structure or jurisdiction of the courts.
The measure takes effect July 1, 2025, and would require state funding to cover the added security expense as part of the chief justice’s official costs. In practical terms, it directs the state to provide personal protective services for the chief justice during official travel and duties, which could affect budget planning for the judiciary and any agencies responsible for court security or executive protection.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 16-3-103 by expressly adding security-detail costs to the list of annual expenses for the Tennessee Supreme Court chief justice. This creates a statutory obligation for the state to fund transportation and accompaniment security for the chief justice on all official state business, likely affecting appropriations and administrative arrangements for judicial security.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill, with the House passing it 95-0 on third consideration. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous floor vote suggests broad agreement and little visible opposition in the recorded legislative action.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. Based on the text, any debate would likely center on the necessity, scope, and cost of providing a dedicated security detail for the chief justice, as well as whether the requirement should be limited to official state business rather than broader personal protection. However, the recorded vote indicates no formal opposition at passage.