[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6640874,"mediaKeyId","2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119","parentId",2548998,"title","Votes at a glance: Key actions from Senate Judiciary Committee","audioSeconds",8095,"startMs",823000,"endMs",8918000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119&start=823&end=8918","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119/thumbnail_823000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6640874/Tennessee/Votes-at-a-glance-Key-actions-from-Senate-Judiciary-Committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640874-a1db1be1889c533c3792ab2cd8366c2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775917736&Signature=lORhFGNBWMmr5yQ04Qf5-8u6CX6GAVvA9m0t9sQ0Bc6rk2-gtHAp9ICmC14iF7XcQa6vxSagzhmhZJOvUd~coZc9YOmLLX79QU8qLJxXwwrLtw6v69dBnlI0wSY8EB6sTYxyMMyIaZNmTkc7veL5CSOFuNO7IH35gWXdDhcJhAlpw2Ap1auNNkBVSj8B9mHjvfenGhgN2vNvpHfX0AlMlwTAsPIHkugkHWhIVKw8fhuyqYfc-7AenY1OjiTU41J8Wzo7eulY0g6zbbF-oKRaTRRZ6ma1-swheDo-MR6hVywRPjRrFiN93F-2Xgi7m2YD6j2XnLwJTTRxI16BlMSAuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Judiciary Committee took votes on multiple bills during the meeting. Below are key items, the committee outcome and the roll-call totals as recorded in committee.

Votes at a glance

- SB 262 (voluntary surrender window for newborns): Passed unanimously in committee; roll call recorded 9 ayes. (Sponsor: Senator Hale)

- SB 12-36 (hemp-derived cannabinoids; THCA/THCP): As amended, removed THCA and THCP from authorized cannabinoids and created a class A misdemeanor for knowingly manufacturing or selling products containing them; referred to Finance (committee vote 6–3). (Sponsor: Senator Hale)

- SB 505 (Veterans Treatment Court; transfer/eligibility): Referred to Finance after unanimous committee approval (9 ayes). (Sponsor: Senator Powers)

- SB 280 (Liability protection for law enforcement when a resisting-arrest conviction is present): Passed committee and sent to the calendar (roll call: 7 ayes, 2 no). (Sponsor: Senator Jackson)

- SB 421 (allow mid-level providers to prescribe buprenorphine in correctional facilities with supervision and limits): Passed committee, sent to calendar (9 ayes). (Sponsor: Senator Reeves)

- SB 735 (TDOT removal of outdoor signs: just compensation): Passed committee and sent to Finance (8 ayes, 1 no). (Sponsor: Senator Pote)

- SB 292 (commercial anti-squatting; streamlined sheriff process): Passed committee and placed on calendar (9 ayes). (Sponsor: Senator Bailey)

- SB 790 (private special deputies at resort areas must be POST certified): Passed committee and placed on calendar (9 ayes). (Sponsor: Senator Bailey)

- SB 391 (permit certified facility dogs to accompany victims/witnesses in court): Passed committee and placed on calendar (9 ayes). (Sponsor: Senator Hatcher)

- SB 312 (preserve survivor benefits for foster children): Referred to Finance after discussion; DCS fiscal note cited ~$7.6M revenue replacement; committee vote 9–0.

- SB 959 (resentencing consideration for abuse survivors): Did not advance (committee vote recorded as 5 no, 4 yes); measure remains in committee. (Sponsor: Senator Marr)

- SB 239 (study of juvenile detention bed capacity and inspections): Passed committee and placed on calendar (8 ayes, 1 present not voting on roll call).

- SB 240 (enhancements to organized retail crime penalties): Passed committee as amended and placed on calendar (roll call recorded 8 ayes, 1 no on final bill vote).

- SB 273 (allow teachers to change failing grades when students retake coursework): Passed committee and placed on calendar (9 ayes).

- SB 718 (require Shelby County juvenile cases to use local detention facility courtroom): Passed committee and placed on calendar (8 ayes, 1 present not voting).

- SB 541 (probate/code cleanup amendment as described): Passed committee (8 ayes, 1 no) and placed on calendar.

- SB 547 (establish fee/fund for District Attorney General Conference, modeled on public defenders fund): Passed committee and placed on calendar (8 ayes, 1 no).

- SB 457 (lower enhanced BAC threshold in aggravated vehicular homicide/assault from 0.20 to 0.15): Passed committee and placed on calendar (7 ayes, 2 no).

Several bills were rolled for one or more weeks or put in general subcommittee as announced at the start of the meeting; others were rolled by motion later in the meeting for stakeholder adjustments.

The committee's formal calendar and the recorded roll calls will be available in the official minutes and the legislative portal for verification of vote tallies and bill numbers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary Committee\tMar 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A quick rundown of major bills the committee acted on during the session, with outcomes and vote tallies where recorded in committee.","taxTitle","Judiciary, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",29605,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6640879,"Committee orders statewide study of juvenile detention capacity; amendment on staffed beds fails",540,6920000,7460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119&start=6920&end=7460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119/thumbnail_6920000.jpg","/articles/6640879/Tennessee/Committee-orders-statewide-study-of-juvenile-detention-capacity-amendment-on-staffed-beds-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640879-152e2aca6e12f7f0835fd5f8738effd1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775917736&Signature=SjkM2r1rDqXvW-zApCFfIwfRg6dZjakTfhEFnIZD10PTxa96d0jNQTLKpDirXAZIfVZ8qFB9gfP9CG54TTnNE5siRadJY-dQGF9bbkGNv9M5NFDBZwcixWcg0igXzKk9My13jQayooras3qO4Ec9p1n0yu~rhmLJHaVdaxEOeCrsbsWcQG6mwZzImm-NQ3Uxjyr92w0eRCFBY19oGxcwyy5HDO6uzEXiDr5WqFiWWP4uMm2~w9nWd1e3NVJdazx3xkVlc6XaZTKZ5zG8Uw16G~xiw6~EAeTiNNIeVwdK74ur2srUS8jbWwqb7Ui6DOuauAdk0IklYoy8wDu~NJoEgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced legislation to survey the state’s capacity for juvenile detention and treatment beds and to review inspection practices for those facilities.

Senator Brian Taylor presented the bill asking the state to determine current availability of juvenile detention beds both before and after adjudication. Senator Roberts offered an amendment (drafting code 49-48) to refine the study: his amendment would have required the report to distinguish between the total number of beds a facility is rated for and the number of beds actually staffed, and to include details on inspection items, inspection frequency, reporting mechanisms and actions taken to cure deficiencies. Senator Taylor declined to accept the amendment as friendly, saying the sponsor municipalities had requested a more narrowly scoped inventory.

The committee voted on Senator Roberts’ amendment by roll call; the amendment failed (three ayes, six noes). The underlying bill then passed the committee by roll call and was placed on the calendar.

Committee members noted prior Comptroller and Government Operations testimony raising concerns about inspection standards for youth facilities; advocates and municipal officials had requested the inventory to inform follow-up policy work. Senator Taylor said municipalities in his district sought a statewide inventory; Senator Roberts said distinguishing rated beds from staffed beds can materially affect policy decisions and resource planning.

The bill will proceed for additional review on the calendar and any future fiscal or inspection‑policy proposals will be informed by the study the bill requests.","Senate Judiciary approved a bill to task the state with studying the availability and inspection of juvenile detention and treatment facilities. An amendment that would have required reporting of both rated bed counts and staffed beds failed in committee.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6640884,"Committee advances bill to ensure survivor benefits stay with foster children; DCS flags $7.6M fiscal impact",0,4948000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119&start=4948&end=4948","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119/thumbnail_4948000.jpg","/articles/6640884/Tennessee/Committee-advances-bill-to-ensure-survivor-benefits-stay-with-foster-children-DCS-flags-76M-fiscal-impact","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640884-547271574fff4674fbc39670cc3a1760/orig.mp4?Expires=1775917736&Signature=S8Tz15TlcvSljonGRgAEL7~x44i7rRn4bYSAlQeMt85QJkOqxWj~w8EnUSVwEvl5AtCWyTZFDzcYgy66IVNVtQZFhUK4GX272orcpxhsasj~tkIEsxUS3EpvVWWN~JTyJarAi4D59bFWIvjaePzsoZr1q3WUJ5QwbUdYtQCa00hTWueDEShvbBkdTX7C9KdsCmtBAwpsf9notSgfWWbpePmM~mtXuR9JQ60fYoL7qI8i8BkojFoloTlGs~Lmqgn55LF2~M34OcTzrvAjGCOzfM04Lwf5lDgvpA68u4yHIrVQjXIqRc6OfAllYR7jQvB~YhbDNJ5Sx95163Lm3Q9~hQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to refer legislation to Finance that would change how survivor benefits are handled for children in state custody, directing that funds intended for an individual foster child be preserved for that child rather than routinely used to offset the department’s caregiving costs.

Senator Cynthia Yarborough, the bill sponsor, told the committee there are roughly 9,000 children in state custody and that over the past decade Tennessee has used roughly $56 million in survivor benefits to offset foster-care costs. She said the legislation would require the state to continue applying for benefits when eligible but to account for and preserve those funds for the child — for example in a child‑specific account or for special needs — instead of spending them as general offset funds.

Jim Layman and Hayes O’Donnell from the Department of Children’s Services told the committee the department’s official position was “working with sponsor” at the time the position was filed; once the fiscal note was completed DCS staff reported the estimated revenue loss to the department would be about $7.6 million. DCS said it would be neutral on the substantive bill if that revenue loss were replaced in the budget.

Committee members discussed programmatic and transitional services for youth aging out of care, including financial literacy, workforce preparation and stipends that the department already provides to some eligible youths. Sponsor Yarborough said she would welcome amendments to require financial‑literacy training before release of funds to an individual who ages out of care.

After discussion the committee voted to send the bill to the Finance Committee for further consideration of the fiscal impacts and possible funding options; roll call recorded nine ayes.","Senate Judiciary voted to send a bill to Finance that would require survivor benefits received on a foster child's behalf to be preserved for that child rather than used to offset routine foster-care costs; the Department of Children's Services said the fiscal note totals about $7.6 million and offered to work with the sponsor.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6640889,"Senate Judiciary amends hemp bill to ban THCA, THCP; advances measure to finance after heated testimony",1641,985000,2626000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119&start=985&end=2626","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2548998-f1932d4511f86d0abfd8608ed1e1d119/thumbnail_985000.jpg","/articles/6640889/Tennessee/Senate-Judiciary-amends-hemp-bill-to-ban-THCA-THCP-advances-measure-to-finance-after-heated-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640889-c14969728c8ec325251bea69bbf205b6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775917736&Signature=ebZF5UDoQupkFjpsCiJKGYleRBhVjMbrnF-9FrCDzAoM5yvYCbpi2m3D2K1ThKZuVRdeayWJ8QTxX-0PtyaBfBwFmhVUpRTqfm4P2I8K1ib14hYYkJhmIv6~CH7E3dgNvcPAs0znSo3Dx5srxCwYChDW0IsEFvtICVkFafi7ySQToN7NSupgFXMK2F0A1YCUOdRhdENrWivxdTWqLk2m8Cim-MtwGO1oAyuzBspXzTKGdsf~~gaJd2MickgbrzvL2DIvz7tPPShDaSe9sGqTYve-ftltawCSfVM1U4wIU0~h1p6je6kVIBNH1hhZ8wu2Yto5uhkda8bAHCUq~HguBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Judiciary members voted to send an amended bill to the Finance Committee after debating a proposal that would remove certain hemp-derived cannabinoids from Tennessee's authorized list and criminalize sales of products containing them.

Sponsor Senator Mike Hale introduced Senate Bill 12-36 as amended, saying the measure focuses on public safety and aligns Tennessee law with federal drug definitions. Patrick Powell, policy director at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, told the committee the bill’s definitions largely mirror federal regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations and said the Bureau had worked with sponsors to align criminal definitions with the state's hemp program overseen by the Department of Agriculture.

The bill drew detailed opposition from industry witnesses who warned of major economic and agricultural impacts. John Kearns, cofounder of New Bloom Labs, told the committee that banning THCA would “drastically diverge” from the 2018 Farm Bill’s federal hemp definition and could make harvest of legally grown hemp crops impossible because THCA occurs naturally in the plant. Joshua Lardy, chief compliance officer for Apotheca, a multi‑state hemp retailer, said THCA products accounted for about 80% of his company’s February sales and warned removing THCA would push consumers to neighboring states or the gray market. Devin Aracena, founder of Canvast, echoed those concerns and urged a more targeted approach that distinguishes naturally occurring compounds from those created by chemical conversion.

Committee members pressed both sides on enforcement and fiscal effects. Senator Roberts cited a corrected fiscal note and asked whether the bill would eliminate roughly $68 million in annual sales tied to THCA products; witnesses said that figure referred specifically to THCA sales and that, including other cannabinoids, the total impact cited in the fiscal work was approximately $75 million. Department of Agriculture input was described in committee as a deferral while the Department and TBI discussed language to preserve the state’s hemp program.

The committee adopted a technical amendment on the bill and then voted. The roll call showed six aye votes and three no votes; the committee then referred the bill to the Finance Committee for further consideration.

The measure now goes to Finance, where members can review fiscal estimates and potential language changes requested by agricultural regulators and law enforcement.","After extended testimony from hemp labs and retailers, the Senate Judiciary Committee amended and voted to send a bill to finance that would remove THCA and THCP from authorized hemp-derived cannabinoids and create a class A misdemeanor for knowingly manufacturing or selling products containing them.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Key actions from Senate Judiciary Committee

Committee orders statewide study of juvenile detention capacity; amendment on staffed beds fails

Committee advances bill to ensure survivor benefits stay with foster children; DCS flags $7.6M fiscal impact

Senate Judiciary amends hemp bill to ban THCA, THCP; advances measure to finance after heated testimony