House Bill 1471 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 16-22-103, to refine the eligibility criteria for participants in drug court treatment programs. The bill modifies the definition of "violent offender" by replacing the phrase "an offense, during" with "a felony offense within the previous ten (10) years, during" in subsection (4)(A)(i). Additionally, it removes subdivision (4)(A)(iii) entirely, which may have previously outlined other criteria for violent offenders.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a pilot project aimed at expanding eligibility for drug court participants in the first, second, and third judicial districts who are referred to the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center. Under this pilot project, the presiding judge has the discretion to determine eligibility, with a specific definition of "violent offender" that includes those convicted of certain felony offenses within the last ten years. The pilot project is set to expire on June 30, 2028, and the act will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-22-103(4)(A)(i), 16-22-103
Amended with HA0751, HA0900 -- 04/23/2026: 16-22-103(4)(A)(i), 16-22-103