Senate Bill 477 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108, to expand the eligibility criteria for compensation claims by individuals who have been wrongfully imprisoned. The bill specifies that claims can now be heard not only for those granted exoneration under existing law but also for individuals whose sentences are vacated due to a determination of actual innocence, with charges subsequently dismissed. This change broadens the scope of individuals who can seek compensation for wrongful imprisonment.

Additionally, the bill revises provisions regarding the filing of claims and the distribution of compensation upon the death of a claimant. It allows surviving spouses or children to file claims if the eligible person dies before doing so, and it outlines how remaining payments should be distributed among survivors. The time limit for filing claims is also clarified, allowing individuals whose convictions were vacated before the bill's effective date one year from that date to submit their claims.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 9-8-108(a)(7), 9-8-108, 9-8-108(a)(7)(C), 9-8-108(a)(7)(F)