STATE NEWS | Tennessee is set to make history on January 1, 2026, with the implementation of Savanna’s Law, a groundbreaking statute that creates the nation’s first publicly accessible registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. The law, enacted as House Bill 1200/SB 0324 during the 2025 legislative session, aims to enhance public safety by making information about persistent abusers more readily available to the public through a searchable online database maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Named in memory of Robertson County Deputy Savanna Puckett, the law honors the 22-year-old officer who was fatally shot and killed in her Springfield home by her ex-boyfriend in January 2022. Investigators later discovered the man who murdered her had a documented history of domestic violence – but that information was not easily accessible before the tragedy. Supporters of the law argue that a centralized registry could help prevent similar losses by alerting potential victims, loved ones, and the public to patterns of violent behavior.
“Tennessee is number four in states where men kill women,” said Verna Wyatt of Tennessee Voices for Victims, underscoring the urgency of addressing persistent abuse in the state.
Domestic violence remains a significant issue in Tennessee, with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reporting more than 60,000 domestic violence victims in 2023, the vast majority of whom were women (over 71 percent). These reports show that domestic abuse touches all ages and communities, with individuals aged 25–34 constituting the largest group of victims. While overall domestic violence incidents slightly decreased from 2022 to 2023, the sheer scale of reported cases has advocates emphasizing the need for stronger public safety tools like the new registry.
Under Savanna’s Law, individuals convicted of a domestic violence offense at least twice will be listed on the registry, which will include their name, photograph, date of birth, conviction dates, and counties of conviction. Sensitive personal details such as addresses, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license information are excluded to protect privacy while still providing meaningful identification. Courts are responsible for ordering registration and transmitting conviction records to the TBI within a specified timeframe.
The law also includes provisions for how long an offender remains on the registry, with timeframes tied to the number of qualifying convictions. Those with multiple convictions can remain listed for years, with the goal of balancing public safety and fairness. Additionally, a registration fee accompanies the requirement: part of the fee covers administrative costs, and part funds family violence prevention and intervention programs.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Metro Moore County Sheriff Tyler Hatfield – though he stressed that as the first-ever such registry in the United States both he, his officers, and the local court systems were in unchartered territory. He also stated that the multiple qualifying convictions would identify those with violent tendencies not just one time offenders.
Advocates and lawmakers alike emphasize that Savanna’s Law is intended as a preventive tool – not merely punitive – by giving individuals and communities access to critical information that previously would have required deep dives into court records scattered across jurisdictions. As Tennessee pioneers this approach, the law could serve as a model for other states considering similar domestic violence offender registries in the future.
To access the new Tennessee Persistent Domestic Violence Offender Registry, click here. •
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