Senate Bill 2099, also known as the "Tennessee Court Appearance Reminder Program Act," aims to establish a statewide automated court appearance reminder program to reduce missed court appearances in criminal and traffic cases. The bill mandates the administrative office of the courts to develop and administer this program, which will automatically enroll defendants who provide their contact information. The program will send multiple reminders prior to scheduled court appearances, including essential details such as date, time, location, and consequences of nonappearance. Additionally, it will offer reminders in multiple languages and allow defendants to update their contact information easily.

The bill includes provisions to ensure that the program operates at no cost to defendants and emphasizes the importance of privacy by restricting the use of collected contact information solely for court notifications. It also requires the administrative office to collect data to evaluate the program's effectiveness, including rates of court appearances and the number of failure to appear warrants issued. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and aims to improve judicial efficiency while minimizing unnecessary arrests and economic harm to defendants and their communities.