AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 37 and Title 41, relative to juvenile facilities.
Summary
SB1401 amends Tennessee law governing juvenile facilities by shortening a required time period in Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-189(a) from six hours to four hours. The bill is narrowly focused and does not create a new program or regulatory scheme; instead, it adjusts an existing procedural requirement applicable to juvenile detention or facility-related processes under Title 37.
Based on the bill text, the practical effect is to reduce the amount of time specified in the statute, which may allow juvenile facilities and related officials to act more quickly in the circumstances covered by the provision. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting the legislature’s view that the change is time-sensitive or administrative in nature.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 37-1-189(a), changing a statutory deadline or holding period from six hours to four hours. This directly affects juvenile facilities, juvenile justice personnel, and any state or local officials responsible for compliance with the referenced provision in Title 37. No other statutes are changed in the text provided, and the bill appears to be a targeted technical amendment rather than a broad policy overhaul.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong bipartisan or at least unanimous support for the bill. The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended passage with amendments on an 8-0 vote, and the floor vote passed 29-0 on third consideration. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate opposition or concern in the materials supplied.
Contention
There is little evidence of controversy in the provided record. The only notable point of possible contention is the policy choice to shorten the statutory time period from six hours to four hours, which could be viewed as increasing efficiency but also reducing the time available for compliance or processing in juvenile-facility settings. However, the unanimous committee and floor votes indicate that any such concern did not generate visible opposition in the legislative process reflected here.