TN House Passes Bill To Create More Sentencing Transparency For Crime Victims
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Center Square [By Jon Styf] –
The Tennessee House passed a bill Thursday that would require judges in the state to give an approximate time of sentence to victims of a crime when the offender is sentenced.
House Bill 2657, dubbed the Transparency in Sentencing for Victims Act, requires the court to orally state or write out the estimated length of a sentence, along with the reasons for the sentence and any enhancing or mitigating factors.
The House bill passed with a 92-0 vote, and the companion bill, Senate Bill 2183, is scheduled to be addressed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
The purpose of the bill is “to try to give victims a better understanding of what the sentence will be at the time of sentencing,” said Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, a co-sponsor of the bill sponsored by House Speaker Cameron Sexton.
The bill was amended to require the court’s estimation should estimate how long it would be until the defendant is eligible for release, not just an estimated full sentence.
“This is a great piece of legislation,” said Rep. Brandon Ogles, R-Franklin. “… People are getting out sometimes, and we need to know these numbers up front and everybody needs to be able to see that.”
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Rep. Mike Stewart, D-Nashville, wanted to clarify the bill would not impact the length of time of any sentence but simply required the court to give an explanation of a sentence.
Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee applauded the bill.
“Transparency in Sentencing is a win for everyone involved in the justice system,” AFP-Tennessee State Director Tori Venable said. “Victims deserve to know how long they can expect an offender to be incarcerated; likewise, offenders need to know when their potential release date would be so they can participate in rehabilitation programs.”
About the Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square Staff Reporter – Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.
