Bail industry prepares for fight over upcoming Tennessee constitutional amendment • Tennessee Lookout

The upcoming 2025 legislative session in Tennessee will see a clash between top lawmakers and the bail industry as they debate a constitutional amendment aimed at keeping more criminal suspects in jail until their court dates. The resolution, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and supported by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, seeks to increase the list of offenses for which judges can decline bail for pre-trial release. The bail industry, worried about potential financial losses, argues that the amendment could lead to the closure of businesses and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build additional jail space. Despite concerns about potential costs for local governments, Speaker Sexton emphasizes the need to keep violent criminals off the streets. Opposition to the amendment also comes from Democratic Rep. John Ray Clemmons, who believes it will further exacerbate the unfairness in the state’s criminal justice system. The resolution will need to pass both chambers of the Legislature by a two-thirds vote and then be approved by voters before becoming part of the state Constitution. With Governor Bill Lee expressing concerns about the impact of similar laws on crime rates and prison overcrowding, the outcome of the upcoming debate remains uncertain.

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