SB 1909

ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND RESET HOUSE BILL 1471. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, c reate a pilot project expanding the eligibility of participants in the drug court treatment program in the first, second, and third judicial districts who are referred to the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center. Such judicial districts include Carter, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties. The pilot project expires on June 30, 2028 . ELIGIBILITY For purposes of the pilot project, this amendment provides that the presiding judge of the drug court treatment program for the first, second, and third judicial districts has discretion in determining the eligibility of participants in the drug court treatment program who are referred to the Northeast Tennessee Regio nal Recovery Center. W hen determining eligibility of participants in the pilot project, a "violent offender"" means a person who meets all of the following criteria: (1) Has been convicted of a felony offense within the previous 10 years, during which (i) t he person carried, possessed, or used a firearm or dangerous weapon; (ii) t here occurred the death of or serious bodily injury to any person; or (iii) t he person committed a felony involving the use of force against the person of another . (2) Has one or more prior convictions for a felony crime of violence involving the use or attempted use of force against a person with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm. In determining whether a defendant is a violent offende r, this amendment prohibits the court from consider ing whether one or more of the circumstances described in (1) above is or is not an element of the offense for which the person is convicted."