Tennessee Senate Bill SB1535

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/7/26
• Chaptered: 3/16/26
• Passed: 3/16/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 40, Chapter 30, Part 2, relative to the post-conviction defender oversight commission.

Summary

SB1535 makes a narrow technical change to Tennessee law governing state boards and commissions. It removes the Post-Conviction Defender Oversight Commission from one statutory list of entities subject to a general sunset/review provision in Title 4 and adds it to another list of entities that are specifically exempted or treated differently under that framework. The bill does not create the commission; it references the commission already established in Title 40, Chapter 30, Part 2. In practical terms, the bill appears designed to preserve the commission’s continued existence and align its statutory treatment with other entities that are not subject to automatic termination or the same review process. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29, by deleting the Post-conviction defender oversight commission from one subsection and adding it to another subsection in Section 4-29-253(a). This changes how the commission is categorized under the state’s general laws governing boards and commissions, likely affecting whether it remains subject to sunset review or related administrative oversight provisions. The bill does not alter the commission’s substantive duties, but it does affect its statutory status and continued operation.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows clear support for the bill, with the Senate Government Operations Committee recommending passage by a 9-0 vote. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous committee vote suggests the measure was viewed as routine and noncontroversial. The bill’s narrow, technical nature also indicates general agreement rather than policy debate.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available materials. Because the bill is a technical statutory cleanup measure concerning the Post-conviction Defender Oversight Commission, any disagreement would likely center on administrative oversight, sunset treatment, or the commission’s continued placement within the state’s board-and-commission framework. However, no recorded objections or opposing arguments appear in the provided context.