Tennessee Senate Bill SB0080

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Chaptered: 3/24/25
• Passed: 3/24/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 16, Chapter 3, relative to the private probation services council.

Summary

This bill makes a narrow, technical change to Tennessee law governing the private probation services council. It amends the state’s list of entities that are exempt from automatic repeal under the Tennessee Code Annotated’s sunset review provisions by removing one reference from Title 4, Chapter 29 and adding the private probation services council, created in Title 16, Chapter 3, to the list of entities that continue in existence. In practical terms, the legislation ensures that the private probation services council remains a recognized state entity subject to the state’s continuing-entity framework rather than being omitted from the statutory list. The bill does not create new regulatory powers, fees, or substantive criminal justice policies; instead, it updates cross-references in the code to reflect the council’s statutory status.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 4-29-246 and 4-29-252, which govern the state’s sunset review and continuation of certain boards, commissions, and councils. By adding the private probation services council to the list of entities that are not automatically repealed, the bill preserves the council’s legal existence and administrative role under state law. The affected parties are the council itself and, indirectly, the private probation services system it oversees.

Sentiment

The available legislative history suggests the bill was noncontroversial and received favorable treatment. The Senate Government Operations Committee recommended passage on a 6-0 vote, and the bill ultimately passed both chambers and was signed into law. There is no record in the provided materials of opposition, extended debate, or amendments, indicating general agreement on the need for the technical update.

Contention

No notable substantive contention appears in the provided record. Because the bill is a housekeeping measure tied to statutory organization and sunset provisions, any discussion likely centered on maintaining the council’s place in law rather than on policy changes. The absence of recorded dissent suggests that legislators viewed the measure as routine and administrative rather than politically divisive.