Senate Bill 2793, also known as House Bill 2931, amends Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 17-5-303, to introduce new requirements for judges entering into deferred discipline agreements. The bill mandates that judges must sign an affidavit prior to such agreements, which includes their consent to the investigative panel's recommendations, confirmation that the consent is voluntary, a disclosure of any pending misconduct allegations, and an affirmation of the truthfulness of the affidavit's contents. This affidavit must be filed with the board once it is approved by the hearing panel.

An amendment to the bill modifies the language regarding the approval process for the affidavit, changing it from requiring approval by the hearing panel to allowing approval by either the investigative or hearing panel. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in judicial conduct.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 17-5-303
Amended with HA0766 -- 03/28/2024: 17-5-303