Bill > HB1765

This bill amends Tennessee law to increase penalties for violating a lifetime order of protection, which is a court order designed to protect victims from further harm by an abuser, particularly when the original order was based on a conviction involving the use of force. Specifically, violating such a lifetime order of protection will now be a Class E felony, a more serious crime than the previous Class A misdemeanor, if the original conviction that led to the lifetime order involved force against a victim. The bill also clarifies that sentences for violating these orders must generally be served consecutively, meaning one after the other, to any other sentences related to the same incident, though a judge can allow concurrent sentencing in some cases. Additionally, it expands the types of out-of-state felony offenses that can be considered grounds for issuing a lifetime order of protection in Tennessee, ensuring that similar violent crimes committed elsewhere are recognized.