NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee voters wrote three changes into the state constitution on Tuesday, approving every amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot: one on bail, one on property taxes and one on the rights of crime victims.
A Tennessee amendment needs more than a simple majority. It must draw more yes votes than no votes, and its yes total must top half of all ballots cast in the governor race. With roughly 2.1 million votes counted in that race shortly after 11 p.m., the bar sat at about 1.05 million. Final unofficial results from the Secretary of State showed each measure clearing 1.3 million yes votes.
Amendment 1 widens when judges may refuse bail. Until now, only defendants charged with first-degree murder or the rape of a child under 12 could be held without it. The new language lets judges withhold bail for a list of other serious charges, and a judge who does so must put the reasons on the record. Early cost estimates covered only the roughly $9,000 in routine ballot costs and did not account for added jail expenses borne by counties.
Amendment 2 closes the door on a statewide property tax on land, buildings and other real, personal or mixed property. Tennessee has not levied one since 1949 and relies chiefly on sales tax, while cities and counties continue to set their own property tax rates. Critics had warned the ban takes away a tool for balancing the tax load as state revenue growth levels off.
Amendment 3 swaps out the constitution’s existing section on victims’ rights for a longer list that applies in both criminal and juvenile cases. Victims gain guaranteed notice of proceedings, the ability to attend and speak at certain hearings, a path to restitution and word when an offender is let out.
Among the specific protections, victims can learn the minimum time an offender will spend in custody and the scheduled release date, and they may consult with prosecutors and address the court at plea, sentencing and parole hearings.
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