The Tennessee General Assembly is touting new “tough on crime” legislation that will take effect Friday.
SB 2284, colloquially called the “Truth in Sentencing” bill, is one of those pieces of legislation. It will require violent offenders to serve 100 percent of their sentences before they are eligible for release.
“It ensures criminals convicted of attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, vehicular homicide, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated robbery, carjacking, and especially aggravated burglary will serve 100% of their sentence undiminished by any sentence reduction credits earned,” according to a release from the Tennessee State Senate.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally worked with the State Senate to implement the legislation.
“Truth in Sentencing is vital legislation that protects victims and provides true accountability for those who commit crimes,” McNally said. “The clarity Truth in Sentencing provides will serve as a critical deterrent against violent offenders. The costs associated with the law are well worth the peace of mind offered to victims and the overall boost to public safety. Tennesseans across the political spectrum want law and order in Tennessee. This legislation will go a long way toward providing it.”
That is not the only bill that aimed at making Tennessee safer that takes effect Friday.
State Senator Paul Rose (R-Covington) sponsored SB 2683, which “requires that a person convicted of first-degree murder for the killing of another in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of aggravated rape, rape, rape of a child, and aggravated rape of a child be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.”
That bill passed in was signed into law in March.
Similarly, a law meant to crack down on drive-by shootings will also take effect Friday.
Rose sponsored that bill, SB 2087, too.
That law “requires that a person convicted of aggravated assault that involved the use or display of a deadly weapon be punished one classification higher than otherwise provided by law if the violation was committed by discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle.”
Other laws taking effect include one that makes it more difficult for convicted murderers to receive parole if they do not disclose the whereabouts of the body of their victim, one that prevents sexual offenders from renting hot tubs and swimming pools and another that classifies as a felony neglect or abuse of children at the hands of an unlicensed childcare facility.
_ _ _
Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Thank you Tennessee legislature! This is a big first step to deter criminal acts in Tennessee. The legislature needs to remove the flexibility in sentencing from the prosecutors. The prosecutors have gotten us in a big mess by not being harder on the criminal element. I hope the TN legislature will adopt laws that a District Attorney can be removed from office immediately if they fail to enforce the laws! TN does not need to become a criminal sanctuary state! Good Job Senators McNalley and Rose!