Definitions

(1) “Council” means the Private Probation Services Council. (2) “Court” means any court in the State of Tennessee with the authority to sentence or otherwise assign misdemeanor offenders to a private probation provider for probation supervision. (3) “Governing Authority” means the entity of any county, municipality or metropolitan government with authority to enter into written contracts with corporations, enterprises or entities to provide probation services. (4) “Governmental Employee” means employees and officials of the state and its political subdivisions who are employed as law enforcement employees or officials, probation and parole employees or officials, judicial employees or officials or correctional employees or officials, including employees and officials of jails and workhouses. (5) “Private Entity” means a privately owned and operated corporation, enterprise or entity which contracts to provide general probation supervision, counseling and/or collection services for persons convicted of a misdemeanor and placed on probation. (6) “Probationer” means any misdemeanor offender sentenced by a court of this state and assigned to a private entity for supervision, counseling, financial collections and compliance with any other court-ordered condition.