Tennessee voters have supported two constitutional amendment proposals that strengthen the state’s laws against criminals.
Tennesseans overwhelmingly supported Amendment 1 and Amendment 3 on Tuesday night.
According to unofficial results from the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office, 67 percent of Tennesseans supported Amendment 1 while 76 percent of state residents backed Amendment 3.
Ninety-four of Tennessee’s 95 counties have been counted.
Amendment 1 amends the Tennessee state Constitution to be able to remove the right to bail in instances of people accused of acts of terrorism, second-degree murder, aggravated rape of a child, and grave torture.
The amendment would also require people convicted of these crimes to serve at least 85% of their sentence, preventing early release.
Organizations that supported the amendment included the Tennessee Republican Party, Tennessee Sheriff’s Association, Tennessee Voices for Victims, and Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference.
The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference Executive Director Stephen Crump told the Legislature in 2025 that the state’s “district attorneys believe this is the singular most important bill to public safety that we have evaluated over the last 11 years.”
Organizations that opposed the amendment included ACLU of Tennessee, Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents, and State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis).
In opposition to the amendment, Pearson called judges “imperfect people,” who have “their own biases that they bring into the courtroom.”
He also had concerns about how the amendment would harm poor people, black and Hispanic people.
Even though people were opposed to the amendment, according to Ballotpedia, none of these entities donated money to oppose it. Supporters donated $52,000.
Amendment 3, also known as the Marsy’s Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment, amends the Tennessee Constitution to expand crime victims’ rights.
The amendment is named after Marsalee Nicholas, a woman killed by her ex-boyfriend Kerry Michael Conley in 1983. Conley died in prison in 2007.
The amendment replaces Section 35 of Article I, which outlined victims’ rights, with a new list.
The list would include the right to be present at all criminal proceedings, be treated fairly, be heard in all case proceedings, and receive reasonable notice of all public criminal proceedings.
The amendment also guarantees victims will not face harassment or abuse during the criminal proceedings, as well as factoring in the victim’s and public’s safety before deciding on parole.
Tennessee’s Republican Party, along with GOP state elected officials, voiced support for the amendment.
State Representative Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) said in an op-ed last year that Mary’s Law is “about protecting victims and ensuring their voices are heard. But it’s also about something bigger: creating a justice system that helps prevent future harm by empowering those most affected.”
“When victims understand their rights are protected, they are more likely to speak up, stay engaged and help bring offenders to justice. That kind of participation strengthens accountability, builds trust in the system and can help prevent future crimes,” she wrote.
Opponents of the bill included the ACLU of Tennessee and State Senator Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville.
Yarbro said he objected because he had “hesitation about putting things in the constitution that would be better in the Tennessee code.”
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers released a report in 2024, criticizing Marsy’s Law.
“Marsy’s Law violates defendants’ due process rights, increases the potential for wrongful convictions, and undermines the principles of the U.S. legal system. … The false equivalency of defendants’ and victims’ rights in the context of Marsy’s Law ignores the reasons why defendants have constitutional rights,” the report said.
Supporters of Amendment 3 raised $2.9 million, while opponents raised $0, according to Ballotpedia.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
