Criminal Procedure - As enacted, requires the clerk of every court having jurisdiction of criminal offenses to include a $12.50 charge in every cost bill, to be remitted to the county government to provide support servic, the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 369

                                                     SENATE BILL NO. 547

                                                        By Stevens, Rose

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 547

                                         By Cochran, Lamberth, Bricken, Howell

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, relative to public safety.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40, Chapter 3, is amended by adding the
following new section:

          40-3-106.

                    (a) This section takes effect in any county immediately upon approval by two-thirds
          (2/3) vote of the county legislative body.

                    (b) It is the duty of the clerk of every court having jurisdiction of state misdemeanors
          and felonies to include in every misdemeanor and felony cost bill, a charge of twelve dollars
          and fifty cents ($12.50) that must be remitted to the county government, except in counties that
          are part of a multiple county judicial district as defined in § 16-2-506, in which case this charge
          must be remitted to the office of the executive director of the district attorneys general
          conference for the purpose of providing supplemental funding for the office of the district
          attorney general within that judicial district. Any unencumbered moneys and any unexpended
          balance of such funds remaining at the end of a fiscal year do not revert to the state general
          fund but must be carried forward for the purpose for which they were originally intended.

                    (c) All costs collected by county governments pursuant to this section must be used for
          providing support services for the purpose of promoting public safety at the sole discretion of
          the district attorney general for that county's respective judicial district.

                    (d) A county may supplement the funds of the district attorney general system to
          promote public safety. The costs collected by the county under this section are supplemental
          and in addition to any funds received under this chapter or under title 8, chapter 7, relative to
          district attorneys general.

                    (e) This section does not apply to nonmoving traffic violations.

                    (f) In every misdemeanor and felony prosecution in which restitution is ordered or the
          privilege tax for the criminal injuries compensation fund established by § 40-24-107 is also
          levied, the cost imposed by this section does not have priority over collection of that restitution
          or privilege tax.

                    (g) A district attorney general receiving or directing funding pursuant to this section
          shall submit a report to the district attorneys general conference no later than January 1 of
          each year detailing the amount of costs charged and collected and the purposes for which the
          funds were used in the year immediately preceding such date. The district attorneys general
          conference shall provide a corresponding report no later than February 15 of each year to the
          chair of the judiciary committee of the senate, the chair of the criminal justice committee of the
          house of representatives, and the chairs of the finance, ways and means committees of the
          senate and the house of representatives, providing such information in aggregate and by
          district.

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law; the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 547

PASSED:  April 17, 2025

         n ~~~~....

                         -~uo'\McNALLY

                                  SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                         CAMERONSEXTON,SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this r;iO,.. day o f ~  2025

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         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR