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SB 1319

Safety, Dept. of - As introduced, requires, by February 1 of each year, the department to submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives that provides the number of individuals for whom a court enhanced their statutory penalty because either the conviction is for the commission of a violent crime and the defendant was an illegal alien or the conviction involved the use or display of a deadly weapon and the defendant was an illegal alien. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 55.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Tennessee must annually report how many sentences were enhanced for illegal aliens in violent crimes or deadly-weapon offenses, statewide and by county.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
#dept.of #safety
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Bill Summary · SB 1319

Summary of Bill: SB 1319 / HB 1333 (Tennessee, 114th Session)

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill requires the Tennessee Department of Safety (DOS) to produce an annual report detailing how many people statewide and in each county had their statutory penalties enhanced by a court under specific circumstances related to non-U.S. citizens.
  • Specifically, the enhancement triggers are tied to convictions where the defendant was an illegal alien at the time of the offense, and the enhancement concerns either violent crimes or offenses involving the use or display of a deadly weapon.
  • The report is directed to be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives by February 1 of each year.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • New reporting requirement added to Title 4 (and applicable cross-referenced sections) establishing:
    • A yearly tally of individuals for whom a court enhanced their statutory penalty under Tennessee Code Ann. § 40-35-325(b)(1) and (b)(2).
    • Two main categories for enhancement:
    • Violent crime conviction where the defendant was an illegal alien.
    • Conviction involving the use or display of a deadly weapon where the defendant was an illegal alien.
    • The report must present totals for the state as a whole and broken down by county.
  • Effective date: The act becomes effective upon becoming law, described as via “the public welfare requiring it.”
  • This bill aligns with provisions addressing enhancement of penalties, referencing existing statutory framework for enhanced penalties and reporting requirements (Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-325).

Affected Entities and Scope

  • Primary: Tennessee Department of Safety (DOS).
  • Impacted Population: Individuals convicted in Tennessee whose sentences are enhanced due to illegal alien status in the specified categories (violent crime or deadly-weapon offense).
  • Geographic scope: Entire state and per-county breakdown.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Reporting deadline: By February 1 of each year.
  • Recipients of the report: Governor, Speaker of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  • Status: As introduced and amended in 2025; action history shows passage on second consideration and referral to Senate Judiciary Committee in February 2025, with earlier first-reading passage.

Fiscal Implications

  • Fiscal Note: Not significant.
  • Assumptions: DOS can compile and submit the annual report within existing resources; no new mandatory appropriations anticipated.
  • The report relies on data already required to be reported to DOS under § 40-35-325(c) (arrests and convictions triggering enhancements).

Practical Impact and Considerations

  • Increased transparency: Provides annual, county-level data on penalty enhancements tied to illegal alien status in violent or deadly-weapon offenses.
  • Data usage: Can inform policymakers, oversight bodies, and the public about the frequency and geographic distribution of such enhancements.
  • Administrative burden: Expected to be minimal, given reliance on existing reporting requirements and stated resource sufficiency.

If you’d like, I can provide a concise one-page briefing or a side-by-side comparison with current reporting to illustrate what changes this bill enacts.

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

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