Bill > HB2144

This bill establishes the "Tennessee Court Appearance Reminder Program Act," creating a statewide system to notify defendants of their scheduled court dates for criminal and traffic offenses when they are not in custody. The program, to be managed by the administrative office of the courts, aims to reduce missed court appearances, decrease the issuance of failure-to-appear warrants, and improve court efficiency by sending at least three reminders via text message or email before each appearance, with at least one reminder sent the day before. Defendants will be automatically enrolled if they provide contact information and will receive clear notifications including the date, time, location, court name, consequences of not appearing, and contact information for assistance, with virtual appearance links included when applicable; those without electronic contact information will receive mailed reminders. The program will be free for defendants, and their refusal to provide contact information cannot be used against them, with collected data strictly limited to program evaluation and court notifications, not for investigations or evidence.

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https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/Default?BillNumber=HB2144&ga=114