NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee has issued his first veto since assuming office in 2019, effectively halting the progress of a bill designed to make it simpler for the state’s board to deny parole to convicts.
The decision to veto the legislation was made known on Monday, but the Republican-controlled Tennessee Legislature, with its supermajority, retains the power to override this veto with the same majority that initially passed the bill.
In his veto letter, Governor Lee articulated his concerns, highlighting that this proposed legislation would undo significant elements from the Reentry Success Act of 2021. This earlier law was crafted with the intention of reducing recidivism rates, which Governor Lee regards as crucial for the safety and security of communities within Tennessee. The prior legislation, heavily supported across the board, had faced scant opposition, with Lee emphasizing the collective understanding of the importance of addressing recidivism as part of tackling crime.
Governor Lee expressed confidence in the existing systems, pointing out that the Board of Parole alongside other regulations ensure that parole decisions are made appropriately. At present, the Board can deny parole applications for felony inmates based solely on the severity of the crime for more than twenty specific serious offenses. The contested bill would have expanded this authority, allowing denials regardless of the crime type.
Governor Lee, due to the relatively weak veto power in Tennessee, had previously tried to influence bills through committee processes or by choosing not to sign them, permitting them to become law by default. However, this recent veto, issued when the legislature is not in session, effectively postpones the bill’s enactment until lawmakers reconvene in January. It also uses the weight of the governor’s office politically, potentially persuading legislators against overriding the veto.
A past instance of Lee withholding his signature occurred in 2019, concerning a bill that authorized online sports betting in Tennessee, which he opposed due to its gambling expansion in a state sans casinos. Additionally, in 2022, he refrained from signing legislation that mandated inmates serve full sentences for certain felonies and at least 85% for others, based on his belief that the data did not substantiate the law’s premise.
The vetoed bill represents another stringent stance on criminal justice that Lee has opted to challenge. Representative Rick Scarbrough, the bill’s Republican sponsor, has announced plans to seek an override of the veto in January. Initially, the legislation saw significant support with a 75-16 vote in the House and a 22-4 vote in the Senate, opposed primarily by Democrats, although some in the House supported it.
Rep. Scarbrough expressed disappointment over the veto, stating his belief that the bill addressed critical gaps in the parole system, enhanced public safety, and ensured serious offenses are sufficiently recognized.
The bill has backing from the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference, with its executive director, Stephen Crump, contending before the Senate that the current law excludes some significant offenses, and the parole board requires broader discretion in decision-making.