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Subcommittee advances technical changes to attorney general's authority to investigate judges and prosecutors
Summary
House Bill 96 would revise statutory language governing the attorney general's authority to investigate and prosecute certain judicial officers and district attorneys; the subcommittee voted 9-0 to send the bill to full judiciary.
House Bill 96, introduced in the subcommittee as a cleanup to statutes governing the Tennessee attorney general’s authority, passed the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and will go to the full House Judiciary Committee.
The sponsor said the bill clarifies language in the Tennessee Code Annotated that authorizes the attorney general and reporter to investigate and, in certain conflict-of-interest situations, initiate prosecutions of judges, chancellors, elected judicial officials and district attorneys for violations of state criminal law. The sponsor noted that a 2023 change had added nepotism to the list of investigable matters and that the current bill adjusts phrasing to align with that language.
Representative Powell told the committee he had discussed the measure with the sponsor and would vote in favor. The clerk reported a 9-0 vote to send House Bill 96 to the full House Judiciary Committee.
