New Tennessee Laws passed in 2024

***This is a continuation of the list of new Tennessee laws that ran in the Nov. 7, Nov. 14 and Nov. 21 editions of the Chester County Independent
Death penalty for child rapists – Under a new law, the death penalty could be on the table in cases of child rape. The measure increases the penalty for rape or aggravated rape of a child to death, life in prison without the possibility of parole, or life in prison. Previous law classified the offense as a Class A felony punishable as either a Range III offense, which carries a sentence of 40-60 years in prison or a Range II offense of 25-40 years in prison. Child rape is one of the worst crimes imaginable, and there are times life imprisonment for the rapist does not go far enough. This legislation gives courts the ability to go after the most severe offenders of child rape with the most severe punishment. From Senate Bill 1834, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 951.
Protecting children from continuous sexual abuse – Lawmakers passed a measure which adds continuous sexual abuse of a child to the list of offenses that require community supervision for life. Under the new law, a person convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child must serve the entirety of their sentence, which averages 24 years. From Senate Bill 287, July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 525.
Expanding child endangerment offenses – Under a new law, parents and guardians are subject to a Class A misdemeanor offense for knowingly leaving a child in the care or supervision of a person who is a registered sex offender. From Senate Bill 1587, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 952.
Protecting children from abusers – This year, legislation passed to ensure a child cannot be in a home where there is a history of child abuse. The law holds caregivers, parents or guardians accountable to protect the child from abuse by other individuals in the home. From Senate Bill 2070, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 613.
Increased penalties for child endangerment – Tennessee lawmakers are actively working to prevent children from being knowingly endangered by an adult. A new law passed this year creates a higher offense for any adult who knowingly endangers a child. The measure increases the charge from a Class D felony to a Class B felony for anyone who negligently places a child eight years old or younger in imminent danger of death, injury or physical or mental impairment. From Senate Bill 2662, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 885.
Dependent and neglected child – A new law clarifies that the definition of a dependent and neglected child means a child at the time of the filing of the petition. A dependent and neglected child petition can be filed by a person or agency other than the Department of Children’s services. From Senate Bill 2349, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 862.
Cracked down on child pornography – To ensure Tennessee laws against child pornography apply to AI-generated images, legislation passed which adds AI-generated images to a punishable offense under the state’s laws dealing with sexual exploitation of children. Advances in technology have made it easier for perpetrators to create and distribute realistic-looking images and videos of minors, blurring the lines between real and fake content. From Senate Bill 2668, Effective Date: July 1, 2024, Public Chapter 911.