The bill named ‘Savanna’s Law,’ in honor of Savanna Puckett, a 22-year-old Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy, has been signed into law by Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee. Savanna Puckett’s death devasted the community three years ago. Puckett’s tragic end was brought about by her ex-boyfriend namely James Jackson Conn who was subsequently found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, among other charges. He is currently serving a life sentence.
The landmark move taken by the Tennessee Governor on May 21 aims at helping the community to be aware of repeat domestic violence offenders. A pioneering step, this law will establish a registry within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Individuals who are convicted of a second or subsequent instance of domestic violence will have their information made public via this registry.
The enforcement of ‘Savanna’s Law’ is expected to occur from next year. The purpose behind making this offender information public is to foster a safer community environment. The law seeks to prevent horrific incidents like what happened to Savanna from recurring by making the information about repeat domestic violence offenders known to the public.
As per the Tennessee General Assembly, all those with domestic offenses carried out on or past the date of January 1, 2026, and already have at least one prior domestic offense to their name, are applicable under this law. It is not necessary for their prior conviction to have occurred on or after the stated date. These domestic offenses range from assault and sexual assault to stalking and murder.
Court clerks are vested with the critical duty of transmitting certified copies of offender convictions, which meet these criteria, to the bureau within a week of the conviction. However, it is currently unknown to the state officials how many individuals will be bound to register next year. State officials also remain unsure if the numbers they have put a pin on will hold true.
Officials, using data from the Administrative Office of the Courts and Department of Correction Jail Summary Reports, predict that at least 1,838 offenders will have to register within the first year of the registry’s operation. After an analysis carried out by the Tennessee General Assembly Fiscal Review Committee, it has been assumed that these predicted numbers would represent approximately 40% of the convictions.
Upon falling under the purview of this new law, the individuals will need to furnish critical information such as their full name, date of birth, conviction date, county or counties of convictions, and a current photograph. This move will further boost the transparency of the system for the victims and ensure their safety.
However, ensuring the privacy of the registered individuals, certain sensitive details will not be made available to the general public. This confidential data includes home addresses, social security numbers, driver license numbers, and any other relevant state or federal identification number.
As a consequence of this newly formed registry, four consequent positions will open up within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). These include an in-house attorney, two intelligence analysts, and an accounting technician. These officials will be entrusted with the smooth operation and maintenance of this registry.
According to the TBI, the annual total for administering these four new job positions, inclusive of salaries and benefits, comes to an estimate of $407,625. In addition to these expences, the officials anticipate a recurring maintenance and support cost of $35,000 each year for the registry. The new officials are expected to assume their positions from the 1st of January.
To house this registry, an estimated budget of $250,000 has been projected. This estimate also includes the cost of construction, storage and processing capacity. This cost covers contracting a vendor to build the registry which is estimated to be around $150,000. A further provision of $100,000 is to be reserved for additional storage and processing needs of the registry.
But this newly formed registry also comes with provisions for removal of identifying information under certain circumstances. According to the policy, if the defendant has only one prior conviction for domestic assault, then their information can be removed five years after the date of their most recent conviction.
Similarly, if the defendant has two prior convictions for domestic assault, their information can be removed seven years following the date of their most recent conviction. If a defendant has three prior convictions for domestic assault, their information can be removed ten years after their most recent conviction.
Finally, if a defendant has four or more prior convictions for domestic assault, the time frame extends to twenty years after their most recent conviction until their information can finally be removed from the public registry. This ensures a balance between maintaining public safety and offering an opportunity for reformation to the convicted.
Savanna’s law signifies a turning point in Tennessee’s approach towards tackling the grave issue of domestic violence. It’s a beacon of hope that shines a light on the necessity to acknowledge and respond to repeated domestic violence incidents, marking a critical step forward for the welfare and safety of the community as a whole.
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