---
type: "Bill"
title: "Sentencing - As enacted, enacts the \"Good Samaritan Sentencing Enhancement Act,\" which provides that a defendant convicted of first degree murder is eligible for the death penalty if the victim was rendering assistance to a person in need at the time of their death. - Amends TCA Title 39."
description: "Sentencing - As enacted, enacts the \"Good Samaritan Sentencing Enhancement Act,\" which provides that a defendant convicted of first degree murder is eligible for the death penalty if the victim was rendering assistance to a person in need at the time of their death. - Amends TCA Title 39."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "112"
identifier: "HB 47"
citation: "Tennessee HB 47 (112)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Sentencing"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Hensley", "Ogles"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 35
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2020-12-16"
last_action: "2021-05-03"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/904ccc4d-95f2-450d-9b37-2b12b519724d"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0047&GA=112"
source_hash: "a13e5b393683ceaf62db87c86c9c5b3ed7d0f8f57b8dbd78ada9426a273d97dc"
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 47 (112) — Sentencing - As enacted, enacts the "Good Samaritan Sentencing Enhancement Act," which provides that a defendant convicted of first degree murder is eligible for the death penalty if the victim was rendering assistance to a person in need at the time of their death. - Amends TCA Title 39.

## Version chain

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

1. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/HB0047.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/15/2021 Passed (1) — **80–4** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/8/2021 Passed (1) — **26–6** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/15/2021 3/11/2021 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 3/30/2021 Passed (2) — **7–2** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/3/2021 (3) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Hensley — primary (person)
- Ogles — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2020-12-16** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-01-12** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2021-01-13** Ref. to Criminal Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-01-13** P2C held on desk.
- **2021-01-19** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-01-27** Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-08** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-02-10** Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/17/2021
- **2021-02-10** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2021-02-17** Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/24/2021
- **2021-02-17** Meeting Canceled
- **2021-02-24** Placed on cal. Criminal Justice Committee for 3/3/2021
- **2021-02-24** Rec. for pass; ref to Criminal Justice Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-03** Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-10** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-03-10** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/11/2021
- **2021-03-11** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/15/2021
- **2021-03-15** Passed H., Ayes 80, Nays 4, PNV 1 `passage`
- **2021-03-16** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
- **2021-03-18** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-03-24** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/30/2021
- **2021-03-30** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2021-04-06** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/8/2021
- **2021-04-08** Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 6 `passage`
- **2021-04-08** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
- **2021-04-08** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-04-08** Companion House Bill substituted
- **2021-04-09** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
- **2021-04-14** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2021-04-14** Signed by Senate Speaker
- **2021-04-14** Signed by H. Speaker
- **2021-04-22** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2021-05-03** Effective date(s) 07/01/2021
- **2021-05-03** Pub. Ch. 215
- **2021-05-03** Comp. became Pub. Ch. 215

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/904ccc4d-95f2-450d-9b37-2b12b519724d`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).