Senate Bill 2137 amends Tennessee law regarding the sentencing of repeat violent offenders. It introduces a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-35-120, which mandates that sentencing courts determine if a defendant qualifies as a repeat violent offender under this section or Section 40-35-125. If a defendant qualifies under both statutes, the court must sentence them according to Section 40-35-120. Additionally, the bill establishes a new section, 40-35-125, which defines "prior conviction," "repeat violent offender," and "violent offense," and outlines the criteria for sentencing based on the number of strikes a defendant accumulates from violent offenses.

The bill specifies that a "repeat violent offender" is someone convicted of a violent offense occurring on or after July 1, 2026, with a total of three or more strikes, at least two of which must be from a specified list of serious offenses. It also allows for the deduction of strikes for periods of three years without criminal convictions. If a defendant is found to be a repeat violent offender, the court is required to impose a life sentence. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40-35-120