House Bill 1765, sponsored by Sherrell, amends Tennessee law regarding lifetime orders of protection. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-113(g) by clarifying that a violation of subsection (a) is subject to specific conditions. It introduces a new subdivision (g)(2), which establishes that a violation is classified as a Class E felony if the offender knowingly violated a lifetime order of protection issued under Section 36-3-627, and the underlying conviction involved the use of force against a victim. Additionally, any incarceration sentence for this violation must be served consecutively to any other related offenses, although the judge may allow for concurrent sentences.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 36-3-627(a)(1) by adding a provision that recognizes felony offenses committed in other states as equivalent to those listed in the subdivision if they share the same elements. This change ensures that out-of-state offenses that would qualify as serious crimes in Tennessee are treated consistently under the law. The provisions in Sections 1 and 2 will take effect on July 1, 2026, while Section 3 will become law immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-13-113(g), 39-13-113, 36-3-627(a)(1), 36-3-627