Senate Speaker Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton await Gov. Bill Lee’s arrival for his second State of the State address in Nashville on Feb. 3, 2020. (Erik Schelzig, Tennessee Journal)

Legislative Leadership Establishes Crime Task Force

September 9, 2022


Story originally reported from the Tennessee Journal

 

In response to a recent spate of violent crimes in Memphis, Lt. Gov. McNally and Speaker of the House Sexton announced this week that they were creating a Joint Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Adequacy of the Supervision, Investigation, and Release of Criminal Defendants. According to the letter to the House and Senate Clerks creating the committee, it is authorized and directed to undertake a review of all information relevant to the supervision, investigation, and release of individuals who commit crimes in this state. It is also directed to recommend whether there is a need for legislative action to provide additional safeguards to protect the public from those who repeatedly violate criminal laws. The Committee may consult with the District Attorneys General Conference to ensure that any pending criminal prosecutions will not be jeopardized by any actions taken by the Committee. It may also consult with groups that represent the interests of victims of crime.

 

Senate members appointed to the Committee are: Senator Ed Jackson (co-chair), Senator Richard Briggs, Senator Todd Gardenhire, Senator Bill Powers, and Senator Jeff Yarbro.

 

House members appointed to the Committee are: Representative Bud Hulsey (co- chair), Representative Clay Doggett, Representative Andrew Farmer, Representative William Lamberth, Representative Antonio Parkinson, and Representative Lowell Russell.

 

Both McNally and Sexton were strong supporters of so-called “truth in sentencing” legislation that was passed by the General Assembly last year.