NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill making its way through the Tennessee legislature would require some domestic violence offenders to wear GPS monitoring devices so survivors can tell if they are nearby.
SB 1972 passed the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 5, but was placed behind the budget on Feb. 28 in the House of Representatives. If passed, the bill specifies courts can require offenders to avoid contact with survivors and require them to wear GPS tracking devices before allowing their release on bond.
The bill would apply to people arrested for stalking, aggravated stalking or especially aggravated stalking, as well as any kind of offense specifically against another person such as assault, kidnapping or rape. Survivors would also have the opportunity to pay for an app that notifies them if offenders are near their location.
"The people experiencing domestic violence are our sisters, our mothers, our daughters," said Van Wolfe, the executive director of Safe Space.
The bill is related to the cases of Debbie Sisco and Marie Varsos, a mother and daughter from Middle Tennessee. Marie's husband shot and killed them in a 2021 murder-suicide. Previously, he had been released on bond after he was jailed for strangling Varsos.
The bill is named after the two women.
"These are serious cases, that this victim is at a real threat of being killed," said Wolfe. "The victim's ability to relax a little bit when they know that the ankle monitor's on."
She said advocates have tried to pass a bill similar to this for years, but it's consistently failed due to its cost.
"It's absolutely the money. You know, and then any bill that has a fiscal note tied to it is going to have an uphill battle," she said. "That you cannot put a price tag on someone's life?"
Its fiscal note estimated that if passed, the bill would decrease state expenses by around $19,500 per year and increase local expenses by around $151,200.
Wolfe also said that Sevier County has had a similar tracking system in place for around five years. She said the county received a $50,000 grant to implement the program and said it has been effective in keeping victims safe. It's allowed courts to keep suspects in prison if they violate court conditions, she said.