Tennessee Senate Bill SB2325

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4, relative to district public defenders.

Summary

SB2325 makes a narrow procedural change to Tennessee law governing district public defenders. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-14-204, by changing a deadline from “ten (10) days” to “ten (10) business days.” Based on the caption, the change relates to provisions in Title 8 and Title 9 concerning district public defenders, but the bill text itself contains only this timing adjustment. The practical effect is to extend the amount of time available for the relevant action from ten calendar days to ten business days, which generally gives more time when weekends and holidays are excluded. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and would apply prospectively once enacted.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee’s statutes governing district public defenders by lengthening a statutory deadline in Section 8-14-204 from ten days to ten business days. This changes the timing requirements for the affected public defender-related process and may provide additional administrative flexibility to the offices or officials subject to the deadline. No broader substantive changes to public defender duties or funding are included in the text.

Sentiment

The available legislative history suggests the bill was noncontroversial. In the Senate Judiciary Committee, it was recommended for passage with amendments by a unanimous 9-0 vote, indicating clear support and no recorded opposition at that stage. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern suggests the measure was viewed as a routine technical or administrative adjustment rather than a contested policy change.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the materials provided. The only identifiable issue is the deadline change itself—whether the relevant process should be measured in calendar days or business days—which appears to have been accepted by the committee without dissent. Because no transcript is available, no specific objections from prosecutors, defense offices, courts, or legislators are documented in the record provided.