Committee advances "Savannah's Law" creating public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders

Senators on the Finance, Ways and Means Committee recommended amended Senate Bill 324 for passage to the calendar on April 16. The bill, brand-named in committee as "Savannah's Law," would require the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to create and maintain an online registry of domestic violence offenders who have at least one prior domestic violence conviction.

Under the bill as described to the committee, convictions that would trigger registry inclusion include domestic abuse, financial abuse, domestic assault, sexual assault, stalking and other offenses listed in TCA 36-3-601. The TBI would publish an offender's name, date of birth, conviction date(s), county of conviction and a current photograph; the bill explicitly prohibits publishing addresses, Social Security numbers, driver—s license numbers or other state or federal identification numbers. Court clerks would forward qualifying convictions to the TBI within seven days, according to the sponsor—s presentation.

The sponsor recounted the case of Robertson County Deputy Sheriff Savannah Puckett, who was murdered in January 2022 by her partner; the sponsor said the partner had four prior domestic violence and stalking charges that did not appear in an accessible record and framed the registry as a public-safety measure to prevent similar tragedies.

Committee members asked about processes for removal from the registry and whether the registry inclusion is perpetual or time-limited; the sponsor said the bill includes methods for petitioning removal in some circumstances and for certain timelines depending on the convictions. After limited discussion the committee took a voice vote and recommended the amended bill for passage to the calendar.

The bill now moves to the Senate calendar.