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SB 1117

Courts - As introduced, requires the clerk of each court to compile a monthly report of all criminal fines and fees assessed by the court in the previous month and submit the report to the administrative office of the courts; requires the administrative office of the courts to create and maintain a statewide database and searchable public website that compiles the reports received by the office from the court clerks. - Amends TCA Title 16 and Title 18.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by London Lamar

Bill requires courts to report monthly criminal fines/fees to state, which creates public searchable database tracking fines across Tennessee courts.

Withdrawn.
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Bill Summary · SB 1117

Legislative bill overview

SB 1117 requires court clerks to compile monthly reports of all criminal fines and fees assessed and submit them to the state administrative office of courts. The administrative office would then create and maintain a statewide database and searchable public website consolidating this data from all courts across Tennessee.

Why is this important

Criminal fines and fees are a significant revenue source for courts and municipalities, and transparency about their assessment and collection can reveal disparities in how justice system costs are distributed across communities. Public access to this data enables researchers, policymakers, and advocacy groups to identify patterns in fining practices and assess whether fees disproportionately burden certain populations.

Potential points of contention

  • Administrative burden and cost: Court clerk offices would bear the responsibility and expense of compiling detailed monthly reports, potentially requiring additional staffing or resources
  • Privacy and data security concerns: Publishing aggregated fine and fee data could raise questions about protecting individual defendant information or court operational details
  • Implementation complexity: Creating and maintaining a statewide searchable database requires significant IT infrastructure investment and ongoing technical support across multiple court systems

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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