Under the current constitution, judges may deny bail only to people accused of capital murder. If voters approve the amendment, a judge would still have to determine that sufficient evidence supports denying bond and explain the decision on the record.

The proposal passed through two consecutive General Assemblies, as Tennessee’s constitution requires before an amendment can go to voters. It received bipartisan support, and the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference has endorsed it.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican from Crossville, argued on the House floor that the measure would protect victims from people accused of violent crimes who might commit another offense while released. Rep. Antonio Parkinson, a Memphis Democrat, also backed the proposal, saying the state should stop “coddling those who are the most destructive to our communities.”

Opponents, including some Democrats and faith leaders, say expanding detention authority risks depriving people of liberty before they have been convicted. They also warn that being held in jail can cost people their jobs, housing and family connections, and could add pressure and expense to local jails and court systems.

“Safety and justice are not enemies,” said Aaron Marble, senior pastor at Jefferson Missionary Baptist Church. He argued that the state should not gain broader power to detain people before they have had their day in court.

Timothy Hughes, president of the NAACP’s Nashville Branch, said public safety and accountability matter, but “an accusation is not a conviction.”

A yes vote would change the constitution to allow judges to deny bail in additional serious-crime cases; a no vote would leave the current capital-murder-only rule in place. The Secretary of State’s office has urged voters to review all three constitutional amendments on the ballot. Their full text is available through the state’s elections website and GoVoteTN.gov.