---
type: "Bill"
title: "Probation and Parole - As enacted, prevents an inmate convicted of a Class A, B, or C felony from using sentence reduction credits until the minimum release eligibility date applicable to the inmate is reached; establishes presumption that inmate convicted of Class E or Class D nonviolent felony is to be paroled upon reaching release eligibility date unless good cause is shown as to why inmate should not be released. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41."
description: "Probation and Parole - As enacted, prevents an inmate convicted of a Class A, B, or C felony from using sentence reduction credits until the minimum release eligibility date applicable to the inmate is reached; establishes presumption that inmate convicted of Class E or Class D nonviolent felony is to be paroled upon reaching release eligibility date unless good cause is shown as to why inmate should not be released. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "111"
identifier: "HB 197"
citation: "Tennessee HB 197 (111)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Probation and Parole"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Hulsey", "Lundberg"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 53
vote_count: 11
first_action: "2019-01-29"
last_action: "2019-05-29"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/75be4987-3315-46a6-8eaf-0a6c08da4315"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0197&GA=111"
source_hash: "061f79cb6a9bce690d3567973b8e7576e1a19124abd0c7162342e0f56077ba5b"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee HB 197 (111) — Probation and Parole - As enacted, prevents an inmate convicted of a Class A, B, or C felony from using sentence reduction credits until the minimum release eligibility date applicable to the inmate is reached; establishes presumption that inmate convicted of Class E or Class D nonviolent felony is to be paroled upon reaching release eligibility date unless good cause is shown as to why inmate should not be released. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment SA0430** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Amend/SA0430.pdf)
2. **Amendment SA0465** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Amend/SA0465.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Bill/HB0197.pdf)

## Votes

- SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 4/24/2019 Passed (3) — **11–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 5/1/2019 Passed (2) — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS & SENTENCING SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary 3/27/2019 (7) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/23/2019 Passed (4) — **8–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2019 Passed (2) — **87–3** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/17/2019 (5) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 5/2/2019 Passed (1) — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/3/2019 (6) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/22/2019 4/18/2019 (3) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR 2 MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 5/2/2019 Passed (1) — **64–1** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/17/2019 (4) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Hulsey — primary (person)
- Lundberg — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-01-29** Filed for introduction `reading-1, introduction`
- **2019-01-29** Filed for introduction `reading-1, introduction`
- **2019-01-30** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2019-01-30** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2019-01-31** P2C, ref. to Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2019-01-31** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2019-02-01** Assigned to s/c Constitutional Protections & Sentencing Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2019-03-20** Placed on s/c cal Constitutional Protections & Sentencing Subcommittee for 3/27/2019
- **2019-03-27** Placed on cal. Judiciary for 4/3/2019
- **2019-03-27** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-27** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/2/2019
- **2019-04-02** Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2019-04-03** Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-17** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/18/2019
- **2019-04-17** Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-17** Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/17/2019
- **2019-04-17** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-17** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/17/2019
- **2019-04-17** Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2019-04-17** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/23/2019
- **2019-04-18** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/22/2019
- **2019-04-22** Passed H., Ayes 87, Nays 3, PNV 2 `passage`
- **2019-04-23** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
- **2019-04-23** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
- **2019-04-24** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2019-04-24** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2019-04-24** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/24/2019
- **2019-04-24** Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in S. FW&M Comm. 4/24/19
- **2019-04-25** Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 4/29/2019
- **2019-04-29** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/30/2019
- **2019-04-29** Senate Reset on calendar for 4/30/2019
- **2019-04-30** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 5/1/2019
- **2019-04-30** Senate Reset on calendar for 5/1/2019
- **2019-05-01** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2019-05-01** Senate adopted Amendment - (Amendment 1 - SA0430)
- **2019-05-01** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
- **2019-05-01** Companion House Bill substituted
- **2019-05-02** Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 32, Nays 0
- **2019-05-02** Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 64, Nays 1 PNV 1
- **2019-05-02** Conference Committee appointed. (Lundberg, Stevens, Kyle)
- **2019-05-02** Conf. comm. appointed. (Hulsey, Williams, Parkinson)
- **2019-05-02** H. refused to recede from its non-concurrence
- **2019-05-02** Senate refused to recede from amendment 1
- **2019-05-02** H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 1
- **2019-05-02** H. Placed on Message Calendar 2 for 5/1/19
- **2019-05-09** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
- **2019-05-10** Signed by H. Speaker
- **2019-05-14** Signed by Senate Speaker
- **2019-05-16** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2019-05-24** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2019-05-29** Pub. Ch. 488
- **2019-05-29** Effective date(s) 07/01/2019
- **2019-05-29** Comp. became Pub. Ch. 488

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/75be4987-3315-46a6-8eaf-0a6c08da4315`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).