Senate Bill 1724 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the treatment of arrestees by jailers. A new subsection (b) is added to Section 29-9-102, clarifying that this section does not apply to jailers who refuse to accept an arrestee under the provisions of Section 41-4-145. Additionally, Section 41-4-103(a)(7) is revised to specify that, except as provided in Section 41-4-145, all other individuals committed to jail by legal authority are included.

The newly introduced Section 41-4-145 allows jailers to refuse to accept an arrestee if the individual requires medical attention and has been arrested for a misdemeanor that does not involve a crime against a person. If a jailer refuses an arrestee, the arresting agency is required to have the arrestee evaluated by a healthcare provider. Should the healthcare provider issue a release form indicating that the arrestee is medically fit for confinement, the jailer must then accept the arrestee into the jail. This act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 29-9-102, 41-4-103(a)(7), 41-4-103