TN HJR0048

Proposes amending Article I, Section 35 of the Tennessee Constitution to expand and enumerate 13 specific rights for crime victims in criminal and juvenile justice proceedings

Establishes victims' rights including: treatment with fairness and dignity, notice of proceedings, presence at public proceedings, right to be heard at release/plea/sentencing/parole hearings, protection from harassment, notice of offender release or escape, and full restitution

Grants victims the right to confer with prosecution, receive information about minimum sentences and release dates, and have their safety considered in parole decisions

Allows victims to assert these rights without becoming a party to the case, while preserving defendants' due process rights and not creating grounds to vacate convictions

Directs the proposed amendment to be placed on the November 2026 general election ballot for voter approval, following prior passage by the 113th General Assembly