Tennessee's governor vetoes easier denial of parole bill, his first since taking office

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has vetoed his first bill since taking office in 2019, nixing a measure that would make it easier for a state board to deny parole.

The Republican’s veto Monday eliminates the bill, though the GOP-supermajority Tennessee Legislature can override a veto with the same number of votes that were required to originally pass the bill.

In his veto letter, Lee wrote that the legislation unwinds a key component of a 2021 law aimed at reducing recidivism named the Reentry Success Act. He said removing that provision would be a “step backwards from safer Tennessee communities.” That older bill, which Lee pushed for, only received one “no” vote “because we all know we cannot tackle crime without tackling recidivism," he wrote.

“I am confident that the Board of Parole and other safeguards ensure parole is awarded appropriately,” Lee wrote.

Currently, the Board of Parole can deny a felony inmate’s application based solely on the seriousness of the crime for more than 20 specific offenses, ranging from first-degree murder to aggravated child abuse. The bill would have allowed such rejections regardless of the type of crime.

With Tennessee's weak veto authority, Lee had previously only shown his displeasure with bills by working to get them changed or defeated in the committee process, or, in rarer instances, letting them go into law without signing them. But vetoes like the one exercised Monday that are timed when lawmakers are out of session can delay a bill from become law for months, since lawmakers don't return until January. Vetoes can also leverage the political weight of the governor's office in hopes of convincing lawmakers not to override.

One prominent example where Lee wouldn't sign a bill was the 2019 legislation that paved the way for online sports betting in the state, which Lee disliked because it expanded gambling in a state that doesn't allow casinos.

Lee also notably declined to sign a 2022 bill that requires serving entire sentences for various felonies and at least 85% of sentences on other offenses. Lee, who ran in 2018 on criminal justice reform, said the data did not support the premise of the law.

Lee's first veto likewise scrutinized a toughened approach to criminal justice.

Rep. Rick Scarbrough, the Republican bill sponsor from Oak Ridge, said he plans to seek a veto override in January. The legislation passed 75-16 in the House and 22-4 in the Senate, with Democrats casting the only “no” votes. A few House Democrats voted for it.

“While I have deep respect for Governor Lee, I am both surprised and disappointed by his decision to veto this bill,” Scarbrough said in a statement. “This legislation addresses critical gaps in our parole system while strengthening public safety and confidence, ensuring that serious offenses are not minimized.”

The bill was backed by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Its executive director, former district attorney Stephen Crump, told a panel of senators in March that there are some “very significant offenses” that are not part of the current law, and he argued that the parole board needs greater discretion in its decision making.