Last week, HB 1062/ SB 1349, by Representative David Hawk and Senator Todd Gardenhire, passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. This bill modernizes the definition of intellectual disability in Tennessee's criminal code. It is being heard in the full House Criminal Justice and Senate Judiciary Committees next week.

This bill protects people with intellectual disabilities from unjust execution in death penalty cases. The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that execution of individuals with intellectual disabilities is unconstitutional. Tennessee's current law is unconstitutional and out of date.