Tennessee Senate Bill SB0253

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to certain criminal offenses.

Summary

SB0253 amends Tennessee criminal law by shortening a statutory time period in Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-506(a)(1), from 90 calendar days to 60 calendar days. The bill does not create a new offense or change the underlying criminal conduct described in the statute; instead, it changes the deadline or window associated with an existing criminal-law procedure or requirement within Title 39, Chapter 15. Because the bill only changes one numeric threshold, its practical effect is narrow but important for the parties governed by that statute. Any person, agency, court, or prosecutor relying on the 90-day period would instead have to act within 60 days once the bill becomes law. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting a legislative determination that the change is needed promptly for the public welfare.

Impact

The bill directly amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 15, by replacing a 90-day calendar period with a 60-day calendar period in Section 39-15-506(a)(1). This alters the timing requirements of the affected criminal statute and may shorten the period available for compliance, filing, notice, or other action governed by that provision. No other statutes are changed, and the bill appears to have a targeted procedural impact rather than a broad substantive criminal-law overhaul.

Sentiment

There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so there is no documented debate or opposition to assess. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears technical and limited in scope, which often suggests a neutral or low-conflict legislative posture. The immediate effective date indicates some sense of urgency or administrative importance, but the available record does not show explicit support or resistance.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially contentious issue is the policy choice to reduce the statutory period from 90 days to 60 days, which could be viewed as tightening deadlines for affected parties and reducing flexibility. However, without committee discussion or votes, it is not possible to identify any named opponents, supporters, or stated concerns.