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SB 2543

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, decreases from five business days to three business days the time a warden or chief administrative officer employed by a penal institution has to report to the district attorney general for the institution's judicial district certain offenses that occur within the penal institution. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 49; Title 50; Title 55 and Title 70.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Todd Gardenhire

Shortens the reporting deadline for certain inside-institution offenses to the district attorney from five to three business days.

Companion House Bill substituted
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Bill Summary · SB 2543

Summary of Bill: SB 2543 (Session 114) – Tennessee

Bill Overview

  • Official Title: An Act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Titles 8, 10, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 49, 50, 55, and 70, relative to criminal justice.
  • Primary Change (as introduced/amended): Reduces the reporting deadline for certain offenses occurring within penal institutions from five (5) business days to three (3) business days for wardens or chief administrative officers to report to the district attorney general in the institution’s judicial district.
  • Effective Date: Upon becoming law; “the public welfare requiring it.”
  • Sponsors: House Bill 2368 (Doggett) / Senate Bill 2543 (Gardenhire); Co-sponsor: Todd Gardenhire.

Note: The bill text provided highlights a single substantive change to reporting timelines in Section 1, but the accompanying fiscal memoranda describe unrelated amendments creating a Class A misdemeanor for operating an unmanned aircraft near ticketed events. The primary summary below focuses on the introduced change to reporting timelines, with a brief outline of the unmanned aircraft provisions as context, since both appear in the materials.

1) Main Purpose and Intent

  • To shorten the time frame within which penal institution leadership must report certain offenses occurring inside the institution to the district attorney general for the relevant judicial district.
  • Specifically, the deadline is reduced from five (5) business days to three (3) business days.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

Reporting Deadline Change

  • Amends Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-202(a)(1) by replacing “five (5)” with “three (3)” days.
  • Applies to offenses that occur within a penal institution and require reporting to the district attorney general for the institution’s judicial district.
  • Rationale implied by the bill text: maintain current law with a shorter timeline for reporting without significant policy changes beyond timing.

Other Provisions Mentioned in Fiscal Notes (Context)

  • A separate fiscal memorandum (not the primary amendment) discusses a potential new offense related to unmanned aircraft operations near ticketed entertainment events:
    • Creates a Class A misdemeanor for operating an unmanned aircraft within 400 feet of or above a ticketed event.
    • Provides specified exceptions.
    • Current-law reference: Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-903(a)(3) regarding unlawful capture of images at open-air events.
    • Fiscal impact: Not significant; minimal expected effect on prosecutions or state/local revenues.

Note: The unmanned aircraft provisions are described in multiple fiscal memoranda attached to SB 2543, indicating an amended version of the bill (or related companion) that adds these provisions. The core text provided in Section 1 focuses on the reporting deadline change.

3) Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Penal institutions in Tennessee, including wardens or chief administrative officers, who must report certain in-house offenses to the district attorney general of the institution’s judicial district.
  • District attorneys general for the institutions’ judicial districts would receive such reports within three business days under the amended bill.
  • If the unmanned aircraft provisions are enacted in the amended version: operators of unmanned aircraft near ticketed events, venue owners/operators, event attendees, and law enforcement would be affected by the new Class A misdemeanor offense. (Note: fiscal notes indicate these provisions exist in amended forms; the primary text here focuses on the reporting deadline.)

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legislature: The bill has advanced through various committee actions with a companion House bill substituted on April 13, 2026.
  • Effective Date: Immediate upon becoming law; “the public welfare requiring it.”
  • No significant fiscal impact anticipated for the three-day reporting deadline change (per Fiscal Note: Not Significant).

5) Practical Takeaways

  • The most concrete change is a shorter, three-business-day reporting deadline for offender disclosures from penal institutions to prosecutors.
  • The change is framed as a minor adjustment to existing reporting requirements, without broad changes to current law.
  • If you are involved in prison administration, legal compliance teams should adjust internal reporting timelines to meet the three-day requirement once enacted.
  • The unmanned aircraft provisions, if enacted in the amended version, would introduce a new misdemeanor related to surveillance at open-air events, with little expected impact on overall court caseload based on current conviction history.

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

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