New Laws Effective July 1, 2016

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Chapter Subject Abstract Bills Sponsors Effective
723 Motor Vehicles Removes the limitation that a passenger car or passenger motor vehicle have a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less in order to be subject to the mandatory seat belt law. HB1555 SB2559 Norris / McCormick Upon Becoming Law
529 School Transportation Extends the allowable number of years for a Type A school bus to be in service to 15 years. HB0238 SB0433 Bowling / Byrd Upon Becoming Law
584 Motor Vehicles Exempts recycling vehicles from restrictions on motor vehicles stopping, parking, or standing in specific places. They shall maintain flashing hazard lights at all times while stopping and shall stop in a place where a clear view of the vehicle can be maintained for 200 feet in either direction upon the highway. HB1483 SB1448 McNally / Smith July 1, 2016
629 Motor Vehicles Allows a motor vehicle to be operated or equipped with an integrated electronic display visible to the operator while the motor vehicle's autonomous technology is engaged. HB2173 SB2333 Tracy / Matlock Upon Becoming Law
647 Motor Vehicles Expands authorization of all-terrain vehicles on certain portions of state highways in the City of Rocky Top in Anderson County. HB2152 SB1577 McNally / Ragan July 1, 2016
653 DUI Offenses Allows a court to order a person convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol to be subject to monitoring using a transdermal monitoring device, electronic monitoring with random alcohol or drug testing, global positioning monitoring, or any other monitoring device necessary to ensure compliance with the conditions of probation or the results of any clinical substance abuse assessment. HB1648 SB1582 Overbey / Goins July 1, 2016
718 Alcohol Offenses, Motor Vehicles Requires arresting agency to send fingerprint cards for DUI and other vehicular impairment offense arrests to TBI within 5 days of arrest for submission to NCIC and requires the clerks to send DUI convictions to TBI within 7 days manually and 2 days electronically from the conviction. HB2199 SB2577 Norris / White July 1, 2016
748 Driver Licenses Deletes requirement that a person's driver license be suspended for an additional like period if convicted of driving on a suspended or revoked license; allows a court to order issuance of a restricted driver license contingent on the person participating in a payment plan for any unpaid fines or costs. HB1495 SB1581 Stevens / Lamberth January 1, 2017
756 Motor Vehicles Every LEA must create a policy describing when law enforcement personnel may disclose whether alcohol or drugs was a contributing factor in a motor vehicle accident.  The policy must require the LEA to make a good faith effort to notify immediate family of those involved in accident with drugs or alcohol before the general public.  HB1747 SB1729 Roberts / Kumar July 1, 2016
760 Highways, Roads and Bridges Grants county highway officials and the commissioner of transportation the authority to reduce the maximum gross weight of freight vehicles over certain county roads and bridges to prevent damage. HB0850 SB0412 Tracy / Calfee Upon Becoming Law
779 Driver Licenses Allows individuals with a cardiac defibrillator the ability to apply for an issuance or renewal of a commercial driver license if certain medical conditions are met.  HB1778 SB1763 Bowling / Alexander Upon Becoming Law
790 Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration Authorizes certain off-highway vehicles, which have top speeds over 35 mph and non-straddle seating for up to four passengers, to be operated on county roads; authorizes issuance of off-highway license plates for each category; establishes equipment and safety requirements for the vehicles. HB2288 SB2255 Hensley / Byrd January 1, 2017
823 Traffic Safety Establishes categories of, and equipment and manufacturing standards for, electric bicycles; authorizes use of electric bicycles on routes designated for use of bicycles; excludes electric bicycles from definition of motor vehicle; excludes electric bicycles from driver licensing, insurance, registration and other requirements applicable to motor vehicles HB1711 SB1705 Briggs / Smith July 1, 2016
834 Traffic Safety Reclassifies certain penalties when an individual fails to yield right of way.  A violation for failure to yield right of way is a class B misdemeanor when serious bodily injury occurs, and a class A misdemeanor when the accident results in death of another. HB2300 SB2425 Yarbro / Beck July 1, 2016
840 Motor Vehicles Allows stickers for disabled drivers' license plates to be affixed on any license plate, instead of only on new specialty earmarked plates. HB207 SB129 Tracy / Jernigan Upon Becoming Law
842 Traffic Safety Enacts the "Slow Poke Law," which prohibits the operation of vehicles in the left lane of interstates and multilane divided highways, except for passing and other purposes under certain circumstances. HB1416 SB1608 Nicely / Howell July 1, 2016
867 Motor Vehicles Clarifies under what circumstances a person can be charged a towing and storage fee. It defines reasonable storage fees based on the maximum fee that has been approved by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in each district.  HB2402 SB2334 Tracy / Travis Upon Becoming Law
876 Sentencing Punishes sixth offense DUI as a class C felony; defines "prior convictions" for purposes of enhancing a DUI sentence; removes class E felony designation for third or subsequent conviction for simple possession or casual exchange of a controlled substance; removes mandatory 24-hour litter removal requirement for first DUI offenders. Also imposes a mandatory minimum sentence for the offense and subsequent conviction of carjacking. HB1478 SB1572 McNally / Lamberth July 1, 2016
888 DUI Offenses Revises the interlock law to make an ignition interlock device required unless the judge makes specific findings that the person seeking the restricted license does not need the device.  Also establishes compliance based removal of ignition interlock devices that have been ordered by the court or the department based on specified statutory conditions; and provides a review process if the period of time the person must maintain interlock is extended due to violations of the interlock device. HB1843 SB2065 Stevens / Lamberth For purposes of the department preparing forms required by this act, it shall take effect upon becoming law. For all other purposes, this act shall take effect on July 1, 2016
902 Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration As enacted, authorizes any nonprofit organization owning any vehicle that may be legally operated upon the streets or highways of this state with a regular vehicle registration to operate or move, through an authorized agent or employee, the vehicle upon any highway of the state without registering the vehicle; requires display of a special purpose plate issued to the owner. These plates will be identified by the letters “TENN” at the top of the plate and will have “nonprofit organization” at the bottom of the plate. They will have a purple background with white letters and numbers. The legend shall contain the letters “CVPT’ and three numbers. HB2411 SB2331 Tracy / Lynn July 1, 2016
923 Common Carriers Requires that special permits issued for overweight and overdimensional vehicles allow travel seven days a week under certain circumstances, during daylight and at night, and on holidays; restricts interstate travel on weekdays in Shelby, Davidson, Hamilton, and Knox counties; allows time and travel restrictions for mobile homes and super heavy or extra-overdimensional vehicles. HB1471 SB1479 Bailey / Keisling July 1, 2016
927 Motor Vehicles Clarifies and defines terminology and definitions associated with autonomous vehicles. HB1564 SB1561 Green / Carter July 1, 2016
940 Motor Vehicles Authorizes off-highway vehicles on State Route 167 in Johnson County from Roan Creek Campground to Doe Mountain. This is approximates one-half (0.5) mile.  HB2181 SB1650 Tracy / T. Hill Upon Becoming Law
944 Traffic Safety Creates monetary offenses for operating a motor vehicle within a bicycle lane; allows vehicular use of bicycle lanes only when legally parking the vehicle or turning into a road. HB1487 SB1697 Massey / Clemmons July 1, 2016
967 Mass Transit Authorizes the department of transportation to construct and operate a mass transit system on the shoulder of a state or interstate highway; authorizes the department to enter into a contractual arrangement with a public transportation provider to operate the system. The department of transportation is required to submit a report by March 1, 2019 of any action taken with regard to planning or construction of bus lanes.  HB2022 SB1953 Yarbro / Beck Upon Becoming Law
982 Motor Vehicles Changes the maximum allowed speed of medium speed vehicles to no more than 35 miles per hour on roads with 40 miles per hour or less posted speed limit. This allows vehicle that can travel over 35 miles per hour to be registered as medium speed vehicles. Currently, for a vehicle to be registered as medium speed, the vehicle must not have the ability to travel over 35 mph. HB2185 SB2143 Nicely / T. Hill July 1, 2016
993 DUI Offenses Allows a judge to use funds from the DUI monitoring fund to pay a portion of the cost of transdermal monitoring if the judge determines that a person so ordered cannot pay some portion of the cost of the device. HB2424 SB2399 Overbey / Goins July 1, 2016
998 Traffic Safety For citations issued based solely upon evidence gathered by traffic enforcement cameras, the citation must have the words, “Non-Payment of this citation cannot adversely affect your credit score or report, driver’s license, and/or automobile insurance” clearly on the face of the citation. HB2510 SB2492 Bailey / Holt Upon Becoming Law
1008 School Transportation Requires county boards of education to submit the names of persons certified to drive school buses to the department of safety in order to be notified when a certified person's driver license is suspended or revoked. Individuals applying for a school bus endorsement on the license shall pay a total of $20 for the class S endorsement. HB0577 SB1373 Kyle / Hardaway July 1, 2016
1012 Common Carriers Sets limits for special permits for overweight and over-dimensional loads. Allows the department of transportation to evaluate the capacity of bridges and similar structures to carry the proposed load along a particular rout. TDOT shall charge for this evaluation each time a different route is proposed. HB1776 SB1964 Tracy / Marsh January 1, 2017
1015 Motor Vehicles As enacted, redefines "autocycle" and clarifies definitions related to the weight or engine displacement of all-terrain vehicles and autocycles; prohibits a person who is operating an autocycle from carrying a child as a passenger if the child would have to be secured in a motor vehicle, with certain exceptions. Clarifies that a Class M License is not required to operate an autocycle. Safety belts are required to be worn as well as helmets. Helmets do not have to be worn if the autocycle is fully enclosed. HB2045 SB2229 Southerland / Alexander July 1, 2016
1030 Alcohol Offenses, Motor Vehicles Changes age group to which the offense of underage driving while impaired statute applies from 16-21 to 16-18 and gives judge the authority to order the issuance of a restricted license, including interlock device, to 16-18 year olds committing underage driving while impaired. HB0622 SB1317 McNally / Lamberth July 1, 2016
1036 School Transportation Broadens the scope of the offense regarding a school bus driver using certain electronic devices while operating a bus with a child on board and increases the penalty to a class A misdemeanor. Applies when the bus is in motion and while children are loading and unloading. The commissioner shall permanently revoke a school bus endorsement for those convicted of using a portable electronic device under this section. HB1484 SB1596 Massey / Smith July 1, 2016
1075 Criminal Procedure  Requires law enforcement officers to do NCIC criminal records check upon each DUI arrest to determine if a person has prior DUI offenses. HB1427 SB2576 Norris / White July 1, 2016
1077 Traffic Safety Redesignates, from nonmoving to moving, traffic violations for transmitting or reading written messages on hand-held devices while driving; requires individuals to attend and complete a driver education course if it is their first offense. HB1511 SB1589 Jackson / Lollar July 1, 2016