SB 996 - HB 1031
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
April 2, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Natalie Dusek | Email: natalie.dusek@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 996 - HB 1031
SUMMARY OF BILL: Creates an exception to the requirement that a petitioner pay the
costs of a petition to restore the person's citizenship rights if the court finds that the petitioner is
indigent.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-29-101, persons rendered infamous or deprived of the
rights of citizenship by the judgment of any state or federal court may have their full rights
of citizenship restored by the circuit court. Those pardoned, if the pardon does restore full
rights of citizenship, may petition for restoration immediately after the pardon; provided,
that a court shall not have jurisdiction to alter, delete or render void special conditions of a
pardon pertaining to the right of suffrage. Those convicted of an infamous crime may
petition for restoration upon the expiration of the maximum sentence imposed for the
infamous crime.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-29-104, the petitioner is required to pay the costs of the
application.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401(b)(1)(D)(iv), the cost a clerk shall charge for such
a petition is $100.
• The proposed legislation provides that a petitioner is required to pay such application costs,
unless the court finds satisfactory proof that the petitioner is indigent.
• Based on information provided by the Knox County Circuit Court Supervisor, waiving the
application cost for indigent petitioners is understood to be current practice in the state’s
circuit courts.
• Any fiscal impact to state or local government is therefore estimated to be not significant.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director