School Safety
HB947: Governor Bill Lee's Safety School Safety Grant Program. Representative Ogles was privileged to help Governor Bill Lee draft the legislation to secure SRO (School Resource Officers) for all public schools in the state of Tennessee. This is a $50,000,000 reoccurring Grant to protect Tennessee students.
HB2761: a bill requiring firearm safety training in Tennessee schools. This bill mandates safety training for children to identify a firearm, never touch a firearm, and notify an adult of the presence of a firearm in Tennessee schools. It was the first firearm bill of its kind, supported by the Tennessee Firearm Association and passed the House unanimously, with all Democrats and Republicans present voting to affirm. The NRA subsequently lobbied against it and was not calendared or voted on in the Senate.
Ogles has made significant legislative achievements to increase security in Tennessee schools, including, but not limited to:
HB1158: Secure of Tennessee Schools 2018 Authorizes LEAs to establish a threat assessment team to develop comprehensive, intervention-based approaches to prevent violence, manage reports of potential threats, and create a system that fosters a safe, supportive, and effective school environment. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 5/10/2019 – Public Chapter 394
HB2730: Crime on College Campuses This legislation was created to address the issue of sexual assault cover-ups and underreporting on Tennessee's college campuses. Representative Ogles observed that many universities in Tennessee were not providing accurate or complete information as required by federal law under the Clery Act. The bill changed various Tennessee state laws, as outlined in TCA Titles 4, 7, 8, 9, 33, 38, 39, 40, 43, 49, 62, and 68. The bill passed through the Senate without opposition and was signed into law by Governor Lee on April 29, 2022, under Public Chapter 958.
HB0925: School Cybersecurity Includes and defines cybersecurity in a school’s security plan. Cybersecurity means protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or unlawful use and ensuring information confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 5/4/2021 – Public Chapter 335.
Civil Rights
HB0037: Essential Workers Act No Executive or Governmental entity shall create categories or classes of essential and nonessential businesses, trades, professions, or industries for the purpose of authorizing such categories or classes to remain in operation or requiring the same to cease operation for any purpose if the business, trade, profession, or industry is otherwise lawful in this state. Signed by Governor Lee 5/11/2021 – Public Chapter 384
Criminal Justice
HB2271: or "The Dirty Dozen," broadens the scope of criminal asset forfeiture to include twelve kidnapping and sexual assault offences in Tennessee. This legislation is the first of its kind in the United States, as it expands asset forfeiture to target rapists and child molesters in the same way as high-level drug traffickers. HB2271 enables district attorneys and prosecutors to seize all assets connected to the crime. The bill amends various Tennessee state laws, including TCA Titles 8, 16, 17, 19, 20, 29, 39, and 40. It received unanimous support in both the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Lee on May 03, 2022, under Public Chapter 982.
HB0049: Rape Kit Submission Time Requires local law enforcement agencies to submit a sexual assault evidence collection kit to the state crime lab or other similar qualified laboratories for testing within 30 days of a victim filing a police report rather than 60 days. The bill cuts the required submission time in half to speed up processing. Passed House Unanimously, rolled into Jim Coley Protection for Rape Survivors Act HB0039. Signed by Governor Lee 5/11/2021 - Public Chapter
HB2269: Capital Murder law mandates that anyone found guilty of first-degree murder while committing or attempting to commit aggravated rape, rape, rape of a child, or aggravated rape of a child must receive a sentence of either life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40 Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 3/18/2022 – Public Chapter 718
HB2244: Rewrites the bill and creates the criminal offenses of especially Aggravated Rape, Especially Aggravated Rape of a Child, and Grave Torture. Punishments for such crimes will lead to life imprisonment without parole and even the death penalty.
HB2244: has been widely seen as the most aggressive sexual assault legislation in the United States since 2004. Giving "Grave torture" as the first statute of its kind that could challenge the supreme court case of Kennedy VS. Louisiana, which stripped the states of the ability to punish rape and torture with the death penalty.
This statute Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40, and Title 49. Passed Unanimously in the House. Signed by Governor Lee 5/5/2022 – Public Chapter 1062
HB1343: Inmates with Cell Phones as enacted, creates the Class E felony of possessing a telecommunication device inside a penal institution; specifies that the first violation of such an offense is punishable only by a fine and the second or subsequent violation is punishable only by a fine of $3,000. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 4/22/2021 – Public Chapter 236
HB8006: Protestor Liability Prohibits a governmental entity from intentionally preventing or prohibiting law enforcement or fire and rescue services from accessing a specifically bounded area within the governmental entity's jurisdiction during a public demonstration; declares a governmental entity may be held liable for injury proximately caused by the governmental entity intentionally preventing or prohibiting law enforcement or fire and rescue services from accessing a specifically bounded area during a public demonstration. Signed by Governor Lee 8/20/2021 – Public Chapter 2
HB50: 2020 Defense Doctrine Adds imminent danger of grave sexual abuse as a justification for the use of deadly force in self-defense and to defenses of duress and use of deadly force by law enforcement officer; defines grave sexual abuse as rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child, or aggravated rape of a child. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 4/07/2021 – Public Chapter 83
HB1162: DUI Investigation Expansion Adds physician assistants to the list of medical practitioners who are qualified to draw blood from a motor vehicle operator for evidentiary purposes in a DUI investigation. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 5/22/2019 – Public Chapter 448
HB0040: Precious Cargo Act Voluntary legislation allows motorists that have special communication conditions, such as Asperger’s or Autism, to register their vehicle tag into the state’s database. This bill makes it so that officers and first responders will be able to better and more effectively communicate with our highly-valued citizens. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 3/29/2021 – Public Chapter 55
HB0047: The Good Samaritan Act 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. Signed by Governor Lee 4/22/2021 - Public Chapter 215
HB1338: Violent Home Invasion Changes the classification of offense for aggravated burglary and especially aggravated burglary, from a crime against a property to a crime against a person. A crime against a person is any violent offense that results or could have resulted in physical injury to the victim. Includes rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, aggravated burglary and especially aggravated burglary. Signed by Governor Lee 5/25/2021 - Public Chapter 545
HB1339: Remote Testimony: The court may permit remote testimony by a forensic analyst in any criminal proceeding only if the state, defendant, and the court agree. The court must ensure that the defendant has a full and fair opportunity for examination and cross-examination. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 5/25/2021 – Public Chapter 501
HB2270: DUI – As enacted, enacts “Nicholas’ Law” which specifies that a prior conviction for the offense of boating under the influence must be treated the same as a prior conviction for driving under the influence of an intoxicant for purposes of determining punishment for a violation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant; specifies that a violation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant must be treated the same as a prior conviction for boating under the influence for purposes of determining punishment for boating under the influence. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 4 and Title 69, Chapter 9, Part 2. Passed Unanimously in the House. Signed by Governor Lee 4/26/2022 – Public Chapter 910
Healthcare
HB1344: TACIR Study on Childhood Health asks the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to comprehensively evaluate the socioeconomic impact of childhood obesity in Tennessee and its short- and long-term effects. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Lee 5/25/25021 – Public Chapter 503
Education
HB1342: Teacher Leave Clarifies that a teacher’s school or school district is not closed when teachers are required to work remotely and provide virtual instruction to students. If a teacher chooses to take a day of leave during a virtual education day, they would be charged that leave as if the school were meeting in person. Passed House and Senate Unanimously, Signed by Governor Bill Lee.