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State Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, has introduced legislation to improve Tennessee’s response to sexual assault cases by creating a statewide Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) coordinator.

House Bill 696 will establish the coordinator to provide training, support and oversight for local SARTs, ensuring they are effective and well-equipped to handle sexual assault cases. The coordinator will also submit an annual report to the Chief Clerks of the House and Senate as well as the Legislative Librarian, detailing the program’s progress, training efforts and the effectiveness of local teams in responding to sexual assault. The report will identify gaps in service and areas for improvement.

The bill builds on the Sexual Assault Response Team Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2023, which requires each local law enforcement agency to establish an adult SART to handle sexual assault cases involving adult victims.

“These SART teams are crucial in responding to sexual violence, ensuring victims receive necessary services and offenders are held accountable,” Gillespie said. “I’m honored to carry this legislation and work with victims’ advocates across the state and locally in my area.”

The SART coordinator will work with the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence and report directly to the organization’s executive director. The position will be funded through grants from the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration.

Several other states, including Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Virginia, Oregon, New Jersey, Kentucky and New Mexico, have SART coordinators to improve coordination and response to sexual assault cases.

House Bill 696 passed unanimously through the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on March 26.