Bill To Extend Time Offenders Are Included On Tennessee’s Sex Offender Registry To Be Heard In House Subcommittee (Update 2.16.24)

***Update 2.16.24 – HB1617 has Placed on the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee calendar for 2/20/2024. To voice your support or opposition to the legislation, find the subcommittee members listed at the bottom of this article and contact them prior to their meeting.***

Image Credit: tnmap.tn.gov/sor/ & Bryan Richey for State Senate 2 / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

A bill that aims to extend the amount of time a person who has been convicted of a sexual offense must remain on Tennessee’s Sex Offender registry is scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on February 13th.

House Bill 1617 (HB1617), in summary, states, “As introduced, extends from 10 years to 15 years the period of time following termination of active supervision on probation, parole, or any other alternative to incarceration, or discharge from incarceration without supervision after which an offender may file a request for termination of the requirement to register as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender. – Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2.”

House Bill 1617 is sponsored by Representative Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) in the House.  Its companion bill (SB2630) is sponsored by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon-District 17) in the Senate.

When a person is convicted of a sex crime in Tennessee, beyond the criminal penalties, a civil penalty is imposed which requires those offenders to register as sex offenders in the state.

Once these offenders are included in the registry, they are monitored and their whereabouts made available in an effort to provide an additional measure of safety for the public.

Currently, Tennessee law states “A person classified as a “sexual offender” is eligible for removal from the registry if it has been 10 years since the expiration of his/her sentence for a Tennessee conviction, or for a “sexual offender” on the TN registry for an offense from another jurisdiction, 10 years since the expiration of his/her sentence or 5 years…”

Richey’s  bill would extend that period of time to 15 years. This would only apply to those convicted of crimes perpetrated against persons over the age of 12. Anyone who is convicted of a sexual offense against a person 12 and under is obligated to remain on the registry for the rest of their life.

With HB1617 and SB2630, Richey and Pody aim to protect Tennessee’s citizens, especially the children who are often most vulnerable to becoming victims of these predators.

To voice your support for House Bill 1617, contact the members of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee prior to their meeting on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024.

Contact info below:

Clay Doggett (R) – rep.clay.doggett@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7476

Elaine Davis (R) – rep.elaine.davis@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2287

Monty Fritts (R) – rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7658

John Gillespie (R) – rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-8201

G.A. Hardaway (D) – rep.ga.hardaway@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5625

Dan Howell (R) – rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7799

Bud Hulsey (R) – rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2886

Gloria Johnson (D) – rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2031

William Lamberth (R) – rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1980

Debra O. Moody (R) – rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3774

Lowell Russell (R) – rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3736

Joe Towns, Jr. (D) – rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2189

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com