Image Credit: Robertson County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Last Wednesday Governor Bill Lee signed legislation to enact “Savanna’s Law” which essentially creates a registry of persistent domestic violence offenders within the state of Tennessee, set up similarly to the state’s current sex offender registry.
The new registry will be available for public inquiry online and will include the names, dates of birth, conviction dates, counties of conviction and a current photograph of persistent offenders.
HB1200/SB0324, sponsored by Rep. Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar (R-Springfield-District 66) and Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville-District 6), dictates that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will maintain the registry based on information provided to them by court clerks, local law enforcement agencies, and the Department of Correction.
According to the final bill text, a “persistent domestic violence offender” is someone who “(A) Has been convicted in this state of an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim; and (B) Has at least one (1) prior conviction for an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim.”
The law was named after the late Savanna Puckett, a 22-year-old Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy who was killed inside her own home back in 2022 by a man with a known track record of domestic assault.
Puckett’s killer, an estranged boyfriend, also suffocated her dog before setting her home on fire. After Puckett’s death, her family discovered that the killer had previous domestic violence-related convictions.
“Why would you not put someone like this evil man on a registry? Why should this information not be made public?” Savanna’s mother, Kimberly Dodson, asked members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee this year. “I understand cost seems to be an issue but how do you put a dollar amount on someone’s life?”
According to Rep. Kumar, the cost of this legislation is what killed it when the same bill was brought forward during Tennessee’s 2024 legislative session.
The fiscal note for HB1200/SB0324 brought up concerns that TBI could potentially run into some of the same funding problems it has with the sex offender registry.
“Actual payments related to fees for the sexual offender registry is only approximately 33% of what is owed due to offenders being indigent and various other reasons,” reads the fiscal note. “It is assumed the fees for this registry will follow the same collection trends.”
Additionally, this new database requires the creation of four new positions within TBI to maintain the database. This would cost over $400,000 a year.
Individuals required to register with the new registry would have to pay a $150 registration fee. Local courts will keep $50 and the remaining amount will go to TBI.
The database would require four additional positions within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to maintain the database at a cost of more than $400,000 a year. Those required to register would be required to pay $150. Local courts would keep $50 and the bureau would receive $100.
This year the legislation passed through every single committee with no votes against.
Only Senator London Lamer marked herself as “present and not voting” during Senate Judiciary Committee. However, she voted in favor of the bill in Senate Finance and on the Senate floor.
The bill was finally passed with bipartisan unanimous votes from the Tennessee General Assembly. 96-0 in the House on April 16th and 32-0 in the Senate on April 21st.
Co-sponsors of “Savanna’s Law” included Democrat Representatives Antonio Parkinson, G.A. Hardaway and Harold Love Jr. alongside Republican Representatives Elaine Davis, Fred Atchley, Kelly Keisling, Ryan Williams, Gary Hicks, Kirk Haston, Paul Sherrell, Debra Moody, Lowell Russell, Esther Helton-Haynes, Rebecca Alexander, Michael Hale, Jake McCalmon, Dave Wright, Mark White, Ron Travis and Mary Littleton.
Democrat Senator Raumesh Akbari also co-sponsored the legislation alongside Republican Senators Ferrell Haile, Tom Hatcher, Ed Jackson, Shane Reeves, Kerry Roberts and Paul Rose.
“Savanna’s Law” goes into effect on January 1st, 2026.
The law is not retroactive and will only apply to persons convicted of an offense on or after January 1st, 2026.
However, prior convictions which define a person as a “persistent domestic violence offender” are not required to take place on or after the effective date.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
