House Bill 7087 amends Tennessee Code Annotated to address stalking offenses by introducing a new provision that classifies stalking, aggravated stalking, or especially aggravated stalking as a hate crime if the offense is motivated by bias against the victim. Specifically, if the defendant's actions are driven by their beliefs or perceptions regarding the victim's race, religion, color, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or gender, the offense will be punished one classification higher than the standard penalties outlined in the law.

Additionally, the bill defines "bias motivation" and clarifies that sentences enhanced under this new provision will not be subject to further enhancement under existing laws. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2023, emphasizing the importance of addressing bias-motivated crimes within the context of stalking.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-17-315