SB 455 - HB 527
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 22, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Arielle Woodmore | Email: arielle.woodmore@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 455 - HB 527
SUMMARY OF BILL: Authorizes the Board of Parole (BOP) to deny an inmate parole due
to the seriousness of the crime as it relates to any offense.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-503, release on parole is a privilege and not a right,
and no inmate convicted shall be granted parole if the BOP finds the release from custody
at the time would depreciate the seriousness of the crime of which the incarcerated
individual stands convicted or promote disrespect for the law; except that the BOP’s
finding shall not be the sole basis for denying parole unless the individual is serving a
sentence for any of the following offenses, in which case the BOP may deny parole for the
seriousness of the offense:
o First degree murder or an attempt to commit, solicitation of, or facilitation of first-
degree murder;
o Second degree murder or an attempt to commit or facilitation of second-degree
murder;
o Voluntary manslaughter;
o Aggravated vehicular homicide;
o Vehicular homicide;
o Especially aggravated kidnapping or an attempt to commit or facilitation of
especially aggravated kidnapping;
o Trafficking for a commercial sex act;
o A human trafficking offense;
o Advertising commercial sexual abuse of a minor;
o Especially aggravated robbery or an attempt to commit or facilitation of especially
aggravated robbery;
o Aggravated rape of a child or an attempt to commit or facilitation of aggravated
rape of a child;
o Aggravated rape or an attempt to commit or facilitation of aggravated rape;
o Rape of a child or an attempt to commit or facilitation of rape of a child;
o Rape;
o Aggravated sexual battery;
o Especially aggravated burglary;
o Aggravated child abuse;
SB 455 - HB 527 2
o Aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor;
o Especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor;
o Aggravated vehicular assault;
o Aggravated abuse of an elderly or vulnerable adult; or
o Vehicular assault.
• The proposed legislation authorizes the BOP to deny parole to an inmate due to
seriousness of the crime for any offense.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-503(b)(2)(B), if the BOP denies parole for the
seriousness of the offense, then the BOP shall state in writing how the inmate can improve
the inmate's chances of being released on parole at the inmate's next hearing.
• Passage of the proposed legislation will not significantly change the number of parole
hearings conducted by the BOP, or significantly impact the outcome of such hearings;
therefore, any impact to the BOP or incarceration expenditures is not significant.
• Any fiscal impact resulting from granting parole to eligible inmates is estimated to be not
significant.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director