Tennessee’s domestic violence registry launches Thursday
Tennessee is launching a new statewide registry for “persistent domestic violence offenders” under Savanna’s Law, passed by the General Assembly in 2025 and signed by Gov.Bill Lee. The law,named for 22-year-old sheriff’s deputy Savanna Puckett (murdered in January 2022),was pushed in part by testimony from her family after learning her killer had prior domestic-violence convictions.
The registry, maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), covers people convicted of a domestic violence-related charge after the launch date who also have at least one prior domestic-violence conviction.Offenders must pay a $150 registration fee; $50 stays with county court clerks and $100 goes to the TBI. The site is already online and is searchable by offender name, date of offense, and county, and it includes links to domestic-violence resources.
The fiscal note estimates initial TBI costs of $503,886 (hiring an attorney, two intelligence analysts, an accounting technician), with ongoing annual costs of about $493,967 and $35,000 for maintenance. Expected first-year revenue is modest (roughly $30,327 for courts and $60,654 for the TBI), and officials warn fee collection may be low-mirroring collection issues seen with the sex-offender registry.
Tennessee’s domestic violence registry launches Thursday
(The Center Square) – A registry of Tennesseans considered “persistent domestic violence offenders” launches Thursday.
Savanna’s Law was passed by the General Assembly during the 2025 session and signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee in May.
The bill is named after Savanna Puckett, a 22-year-old sheriff’s deputy from Robertson County who was murdered by an estranged boyfriend in January 2022. After her death, her family learned the man had prior domestic violence-related convictions, said Kimberly Dodson, Savanna’s mother, who testified by the House Judiciary Subcommittee during the session.
Lawmakers considered the bill in 2024 but were unable to secure the necessary funding.
“Why would you not put someone like this evil man on a registry? Why should this information not be made public?” asked Dodson in her testimony. “I understand cost seems to be an issue but how do you put a dollar amount on someone’s life?”
The registry will increase state expenditures for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation by $503,886 in fiscal year 2025-2026, according to the bill’s fiscal note. More than half of the funding is for an attorney, two intelligence analysts and an accounting technician. In subsequent years, the annual allocation is estimated at $493,967, with $35,000 allocated toward maintenance and support, according to the note.
The registry will include people convicted of a domestic violence-related charge after Thursday, with at least one prior domestic violence conviction. The offender will pay a $150 registration fee. County court clerks will keep $50 and the remaining $100 will go to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is maintaining the registry.
However, the TBI could run into the same problems it has with people on 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,” the bill’s fiscal note said. “It is assumed the fees for this registry will follow the same collection trends.”
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The estimated revenue for county clerks in the registry’s first full year is $30,327 for the courts and $60,654 for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, according to the fiscal note.
The registry, which is already online, is searchable by the offender’s name, the date of offense and the county of conviction. It also includes links to domestic violence resources.
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