NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A bipartisan group of Tennessee lawmakers on Friday announced their support for a proposed constitutional amendment that would give judges more latitude to hold someone without bail before trial for certain violent criminal charges.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton made the announcement at city hall in Memphis alongside the city’s mayor, police chief, the local district attorney and state lawmakers of both parties. The proposal isn’t without its critics, however, as some advocates said it wouldn’t solve issues around crime in Memphis or across the state.
Sexton said the Tennessee Constitution currently only allows judges to withhold bail for charges that could be punishable by death, which generally means first-degree murder.
Sexton, a Crossville Republican, said the amendment would expand judges’ discretion to deny bail to more violent crimes — such as second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping — and require judges to explain their reasons for denying or allowing for bail. The proposal is still being drafted, Sexton said.