Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Tennessee General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 928
HOUSE BILL NO. 483
By Representatives Farmer, Leatherwood, White, Davis
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 443
By Senators Taylor, Rose
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 81 relative to district attorneys
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general.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 6, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
8-6-113.
(a) The attorney general and reporter is authorized to conduct a study of a district
attorney general's disposition of charges and other ancillary matters within the thirtieth
judicial district. The purpose of the study is to ensure the proper administration 9f justice
necessary to protect the safety of the community and to provide accountability to the
public. If the attorney general and reporter determines that auditing services are required
to conduct the study, the attorney general and reporter may request that the comptroller
of the treasury provide the necessary auditing services.
(b) A study conducted pursuant to subsection (a) must review:
(1) The disposition of charges resulting from the Memphis safe task force
that were brought to and by the district attorney general, including, but not limited
to, plea agreements entered, convictions obtained, sentences entered, charges
dismissed, any other. action indicating a declination to prosecute, and the
reasoning for the district attorney general's decision to reduce, nolle prosequi, or
dismiss a charge: As used in this subdivision (b)(1 ), "Memphis safe task force"
means a federal task force operating with the objective of ending street and
violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent through the promotion
and facilitation of hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, complex
investigations, financial enforcement, and large-scale saturation of besieged
neighborhoods with law enforcement personnel, while coordinating closely with
state and local officials;
(2) The recommendations given by the district attorney general regarding
conditions of pretrial release and requirement of bail or release on recognizance
for charges;
(3) The use of funds by the district attorney general, including potential
improper use of grant funds; and
(4) Any other alleged misconduct or unlawful acts committed in the
course of the district attorney general's duties.
(c)
(1) For the purposes of a study pursuant to this section or any
subsequent legislative action resulting from such a study, the attorney general
and reporter must be accorded access to and may examine any information,
records, books, data, or reports maintained by a district attorney general,
whether or not the information is subject to public inspection. A district attorney
general shall fully cooperate with the attorney general and reporter in providing
such access.
HB483
(2) The attorney general and reporter shall maintain inviolate any
privileged or confidential information so acquired and any record or writing so
defined by law; provided, however, that the attorney general and reporter may
provide any such information, record, or writing to the speaker of the house of
representatives and the speaker of the senate to the extent the attorney general
and reporter deems it necessary to include such information in the attorney
general and reporter's study report and to members of the general assembly for
the purpose of considering or taking subsequent legislative action. If the attorney
general and reporter provides any such information, record, or writing to
members of the general assembly pursuant to this subdivision (c)(2), then the
members of the general assembly must maintain inviolate any privileged or
confidential information so acquired and any record or writing so defined by law.
(d) The attorney general and reporter shall submit a report of the findings of the
study to the speaker of the house of representatives and the speaker of the senate by
January 1, 2027.
(e) If the attorney general and reporter finds clear evidence that the district
attorney general in the thirtieth judicial district has peremptorily and categorically refused
to prosecute criminal offenses based on an unjustifiable and unconstitutional standard,
without regard to facts or circumstances, or taken other official action that constitutes a
failure or refusal to prosecute according to the law, then the attorney general and
reporter may petition the supreme court for appointment of a district attorney general pro
tern pursuant to § 8-7-106.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-7-106(a), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:
(3) If a district attorney general has peremptorily and categorically refused to
prosecute criminal offenses based on an unjustifiable and unconstitutional standard,
without regard to facts or circumstances or taken other official action that constitutes a
failure or refusal to prosecute according to the law, then the attorney general and
reporter may petition the supreme court for appointment of a district attorney general pro
tern. If the supreme court finds that the district attorney general has refused to attend
and prosecute according to law, then the supreme court shall appoint some other
attorney, from a list provided by the district attorneys general conference, as district
attorney general pro tern in the district attorney general's place for the sole purpose of
prosecuting persons accused of committing those certain offenses. The acts of such
district attorney general pro tern are valid as if done by the regular officer, and the district
attorney general pro tern is entitled to the same privileges and emoluments.
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
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HOUSE BILL NO. 483
PASSED: April 22, 2026
CAMERO~EXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RANDY MCNALU
PEAKER OF THE SENATE
1 f:L APPROVED this day of __,_,_,,;,__~~.,._ 2026
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