By: Alexis Bahner
Published: May 8, 2026
On January 1, 2026, Tennessee’s “Savanna’s Law” went into effect in memory of 22-year-old Savanna Puckett, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2022.[1] The state’s new domestic violence registry highlights a gap in federal criminal registries. Currently, there are only federal registries for sexual offenders that do not include domestic violence offenses; Tennessee is the first state to institute such a law that publicly reports offenders of both crimes. Given the proximity in nature of these two crimes, Congress has a duty to adopt a national Domestic Violence Offender Registry to further protect citizens from violence in their homes.
Pursuant to Savanna’s law, under Section 40-39-402(d), a person must register themselves on Tennessee’s Domestic Violence Offender Registry upon their second domestic violence related conviction.[2] The law only applies to domestic violence offenses that occurred on or after January 1, 2026.[3] However, prior offenses are still taken into consideration under this law—meaning that if a prior offender commits another domestic violence related offense after the enactment of Savanna’s Law, then the court shall order that person to register on the Domestic Violence Offender Registry.[4] This registry must provide the offender’s name, date of birth, conviction date, county or counties where convictions occurred, and a current photograph.[5] Savanna’s Law intends to grant the public the power of knowledge by giving them the ability to search whether a person is a repeat domestic violence offender.[6] While other states have considered passing similar laws, Tennessee is the first state to pass such a piece of legislation.[7]
A similar federal statute passed in May 1996, entitled “Megan’s Law,” creating a national sex offender registry.[8] United States Representative Dick Zimmer of New Jersey introduced this bill in response to the murder of 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was killed by a neighbor with a long history of criminal offenses—including sexual violence offenses.[9] The local community felt outraged by the lack of notice of the killer’s criminal history and demanded change from the legislature.[10] Megan’s Law was first passed by the New Jersey State Legislature before Congress passed it as federal law.[11] The federal standard requires that the sex offender’s identification information be disclosed for public protection and for any other purpose allowed under state law.[12]
Tennessee’s new domestic violence registry highlights a gap in federal sexual offender registries that lacks information regarding domestic violence. Currently, people only have access to information regarding Tennesseans who are repeat domestic violence offenders, not the population writ large. Should Congress adopt Savanna’s Law or an equivalent piece of legislature, people will be able to access the same information on offenders from all states and territories. This type of federal law would support the federal government’s long-term goal to prevent domestic violence.[13]
Megan and Savanna share similarly tragic stories of two young women—one just a girl—whose lives were cut short by acts of violence that could have been prevented with knowledge. The outrage seen in New Jersey in 1994 is reflected in the Tennessee legislature’s call to action in 2025.[14] Considering the vast similarities between these two laws, and their histories, Congress has a duty to adopt a national Domestic Violence Offender Registry. Congress must use its authority to pass such a law that guarantees greater protection for all Americans from repeat domestic violence offenders, just as they have with known sex offenders.
[1] Jennifer Waindle, Savanna’s Law: What Tennessee’s New Domestic Violence Registry Means for Safety and Accountability, Battered Women’s Just. Proj., Jan. 12, 2026. https://bwjp.org/savannas-law-what-tennessees-new-domestic-violence-registry-means-for-safety-and-accountability/.
[2] “Savanna’s Law,” Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-39-401, 40-39-402 (2026).
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Waindle, supra note 1.
[7] Id.
[8] Johnathan Carter, The Story of Megan’s Law, Mar. 14, 2024, https://chscommunicator.com/90108/features/2024/03/the-story-of-megans-law/
[9] See “Megan’s Law,” 42 U.S.C. § 14071(d) (1996) (identifying the twenty-seven cosponsors of Megan’s Law); see also Eric Metchik, Megan’s Law, EBSCO, 2024, https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/megans-law (noting that the man who molested Megan Kanka had served six years in a secure sex offender treatment facility prior to the incident).
[10] Legislative History of Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification, Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking, (last visited Jan. 17, 2026), https://smart.ojp.gov/sorna/current-law/legislative-history#:~:text=1996:%20Megan’s%20Law.,purpose%20permitted%20under%20state%20law, (recognizing that each state enforces its own sex offender registry and has different requirements per individual state statute).
[11] Scott Matson & Roxanne Lieb, Megan’s Law: A Review of State and Federal Legislation, Washington State Inst. for Pub. Pol‘y (1997), https://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1263/Wsipp_Megans-Law-A-Review-of-State-and-Federal-Legislation_Full-Report.pdf; “Jacob Wetterling Act,“ 42 U.S.C. § 14071 (1994) (requiring states to establish registries for those who have been convicted of sexual or crimes against children offenses).
[12] Sex Offender Registries in Europe and Around the World, Collateral Consequences Resource Ctr. (Nov. 24, 2020), https://ccresourcecenter.org/2020/11/24/sex-offense-registries-in-europe-and-around-the-world/#:~:text=The%20first%20state%20sex%20offense,area%20for%20public%20safety%20purposes.
[13] See Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, Pub. L. No. 117–103, Div. W, 136 Stat. 840 (codified as amended at 34 U.S.C. § 12291) (demonstrating Congress’ commitment to protecting vulnerable populations by reauthorizing legislation aimed at funding programs).
[14] Metchik, supra note 9.