What I Learned While Working with Young Survivors
By: Megan BeldenESQ. Senior Attorney Advisor, National Restraining Order Center One in three. That’s how many teens will experience physical, sexual, or…
Savanna’s Law: What Tennessee’s New Domestic Violence Registry Means for Safety and Accountability
By: Jennifer Waindle, MS, Deputy Director, National Center on Legal Approaches to Prevent Family Violence
Tennessee has begun implementing a new law designed to increase public awareness and safety by registering repeat domestic violence offenders. Formally known as “Savanna’s Law,” House Bill 1200 was signed by Governor Bill Lee on May 21, 2025, and officially took effect on January 1, 2026. While other states have contemplated similar legislation, Tennessee is the first to create a public registry of this type. The legislation is named in honor of Savanna Puckett, a 22-year-old Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy who was killed in 2022 by her ex-boyfriend, who later pleaded guilty to first-degree premeditated murder and is now serving a life sentence. It was only after her death that investigators uncovered his lengthy history of domestic violence and stalking — information that was not easily accessible at the time. Her death deeply affected communities across the state and led lawmakers to examine how repeat domestic violence offenders are tracked and monitored. The goal of such a registry is to provide an information sharing tool for the community and law enforcement about who these offenders are and to also to track domestic violence patterns across counties.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) will maintain a registry of individuals convicted of two or more domestic violence related incidents. To qualify, the most recent offense must have occurred on or after January 1, 2026, but the earlier conviction can have happened at any time in the past. The law applies to more than just domestic assault. Additional crimes such as sexual assault, stalking, and homicide, when classified as domestic offenses, will also be included. Courts are responsible for determining whether someone meets the criteria and should be added to the registry.
What Information Will Be Public
The registry will make limited information available online, including an offender’s:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Conviction date
- County or counties of their convictions
- A current photograph
To protect privacy and reduce the risk of harassment or misuse, the registry will not include home addresses, mailing addresses, or driver’s license information.
A key difference from other registries, such as sex offender registries, is that Savanna’s Law includes a process for information removal. After a set period and under certain conditions, individuals may apply to have their information removed, reflecting an effort to balance accountability with rehabilitation.
It is worth noting that some domestic violence advocates have raised concerns about how the registry might have unintended consequences. One concern is that the registry could create a false sense of security as it only includes people after a second conviction. Some persons may not appear — including first-time offenders or those whose behavior was never reported. Domestic violence often escalates over time, and some of the abuse may come in non-physical forms of power and control before it escalates to physical violence. Advocates emphasize that the registry should be seen as one tool and should be used in tandem with many other safety planning techniques for dating relationships.
Another important issue involves criminalized survivors; these are people who are victims of abuse but end up charged with domestic violence or convicted themselves. Advocates say many criminalized survivors plead guilty quickly, not because they are the predominant aggressor, but to cope with the immediate pressures. Some agree to plead guilty to avoid retaliation from their abusive partner, reduce time spent in jail, prevent loss of income, and some have limited access to legal support which can all influence these decisions. Advocates worry this could unintentionally punish survivors.
As Savanna’s Law is rolled out, its impact will depend on how it is applied by courts and understood by the public. There have been many survivors of domestic violence and their family members who have asked for something like this. Their beliefs are that if they had a tool like this to know who was on a registry as a previously abusive partner, they would make a more informed decision about their dating partner. We will now have the opportunity to follow Tennessee’s attempt to see if this indeed increases offender accountability, reduces recidivism rates, and perhaps reduces future intimate partner homicide rates.