SENATE BILL 673
By Taylor
HOUSE BILL 661
By White
HB0661
001952
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38;
Title 39 and Title 40, relative to the
Comprehensive Assault Crime Intervention Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Comprehensive Assault Crime
Intervention Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-111(d), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(d) As part of a defendant's alternative sentencing for a violation of this section:
(1) The sentencing judge shall direct the defendant to complete an
available counseling program that addresses violence and control issues
including, but not limited to, a batterer's intervention program that meets the
requirements in § 38-12-110 and has been certified by the domestic violence
state coordinating council. A batterer's intervention program, certified or
noncertified, is not deemed complete until the full term of the program is
completed, and a judge shall not authorize a defendant to attend less than the
full term of a program as part of a plea agreement or otherwise. The defendant's
knowing failure to complete such an intervention program is considered a
violation of the defendant's alternative sentence program and the sentencing
judge may revoke the defendant's participation in such program and order
execution of sentence; and
(2) The sentencing judge may direct the defendant to complete a drug or
alcohol treatment program.
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SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-101, is amended by deleting
subdivision (g)(1)(B)(i) and substituting:
(i) Section 39-13-101(a)(1) and (2) — Assault;
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-12-110, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(d) The council shall prescribe the term of the batterer's intervention programs to
meet for a minimum of twenty-six (26) weeks and not more than forty eight (48) weeks.
Each meeting must be at least three (3) hours long. The ratio of participants to
intervention counselors must be not more than six (6) participants to one (1) counselor,
with not more than ten (10) participants in each course.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-315, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(n) In addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for a violation of
this section, the sentencing judge shall require the defendant to attend an individual
counseling program that addresses violence and control issues, including a batterer's
intervention program that has been certified by the domestic violence state coordinating
council, pursuant to § 38-12-110.
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-101, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(d) In addition to any other punishment that may be imposed for a violation of
this section, the sentencing judge shall require the defendant to attend an individual
counseling program that addresses violence and control issues, including a batterer's
intervention program that has been certified by the domestic violence state coordinating
council, pursuant to § 38-12-110.
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SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-12-109, is amended by deleting
subsection (a) and substituting:
The administrative office of the courts and the domestic violence state
coordinating council shall establish a policy regarding, and a continuing education
curriculum concerning, domestic violence and assault and shall provide continuing
education on domestic violence and assault to all judges and court personnel throughout
the state who are likely to encounter situations of domestic violence and assault. The
administrative office of the courts may adopt the policy and training curriculum
developed by the domestic violence state coordinating council, and may revise the policy
and training curriculum at its discretion. The continuing education must be for a period
of at least twelve (12) hours per year and is in addition to the training required by § 36-6-
702.
SECTION 8. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.