Summary of SB 2462 / HB 2466 (TN 114th Session)
Date introduced: 2026
Jurisdiction: Tennessee
Title: District Attorneys – Data reporting enhancements and clerks’ access to case management systems
Purpose and intent
- To revise and expand the data that district attorneys general (DAGs) are required to include in annual reports.
- To provide direct, unlimited access for the district attorneys general conference (DAGC) to clerks’ case management or reporting systems for purposes of collecting and reporting data.
- To authorize the District Attorneys General Conference to reimburse clerks for reasonable costs incurred in furnishing the required data.
- To align data collection and reporting with statewide and district-level criminal justice data needs.
Key provisions and changes
1) Annual reporting by DAGs (amended § 8-7-115)
- DAGs must prepare an annual report by March 1 each year.
- Recipients of the report include the governor, the speakers of the House and Senate, the appropriate chairs, and the DAGC; the report must also be available to the public upon request.
- Required data (aggregate, non-personally identifying) for the previous year, categorized by offense:
- (1) Number of indictments filed.
- (2) Number of cases transferred for pro tem prosecution under § 8-7-106.
- (3) Dispositions entered by criminal or circuit courts in the district attorney general’s judicial district (including dismissals, pretrial diversions, plea agreements, trial outcomes, and sentences).
- The section clarifies that DAGs may collect data using any method that fits their local systems; no single designated system is mandated.
2) Clerk access to data systems (new authority in multiple sections)
- Clerks of every court with misdemeanor and felony jurisdiction must provide direct, unlimited access to their case management or reporting system to:
- Each DAG in the clerk’s judicial district.
- The DAGC.
- Purpose: to comply with duties to collect and analyze data required by the statute.
- Clerks must cooperate and provide all data upon request.
3) Data for statewide reporting (amended § 8-7-314)
- Clerks must provide direct, unlimited access to their case management system to the DAGC to support compiling the statewide report required by § 8-7-314.
- Clerks must cooperate and furnish requested data.
4) Clerks’ data duties (amended in § 4-1-425(f))
- Similar access obligation for clerks exercising criminal jurisdiction to provide data to the DAGC for the purpose of data collection and analysis.
- Clerks must cooperate and supply requested information.
5) Effective date
- General effective date: July 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., for non-U.S. persons data; data collection provisions otherwise become effective upon law.
- The act ultimately requires DAGC to reimburse clerks for reasonable and necessary costs incurred to provide data.
Fiscal notes and impact
- Local expenditures: Potential increases due to expanded access in case management systems and added data-gathering duties. The exact amount is uncertain and varies by county and vendor.
- Example: In Lawrence County, adding additional users could incur about $10,000 annually (vendor-based per-user charges).
- State-level impact: DAGC may incur costs to reimburse clerks for data provision; the total impact depends on the level of reimbursement authorized and actual costs incurred.
- Overall: The fiscal notes indicate the changes are implementable with existing resources per the DAGC, but exact costs depend on county-specific system configurations and vendor charges.
Effective implementation
- The amended provisions are designed to ensure more comprehensive, standardized data reporting from DAGs while giving clerks the necessary access to fulfill these duties.
- Reimbursement provisions aim to offset clerks’ data-provision costs.
Who is affected
- District Attorneys General (DAGs) and their offices (reporting requirements).
- District Attorneys General Conference (DAGC) (data collection and potential reimbursement responsibilities).
- Clerks of courts with jurisdiction over misdemeanor and felony cases (data access obligations and cooperation duties).
- The general public (via public availability of annual reports on request).
Timeline highlights
- July 1, 2026: Primary effective date for non-U.S.-related data provisions; other data provisions become effective on that date unless otherwise specified.
- Annual reporting deadline: March 1 each year.
Notes
- The bill’s amendments emphasize non-personally identifying aggregate data and provide flexibility in how districts collect data.
- The amendments authorize reimbursement to clerks for the costs of providing data, subject to subsequent appropriations or DAGC actions.
