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HB0191 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.

Crime
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Lamberth, Reeves
Last action
2025-04-04
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify penalties beyond classifying the offense as a Class B misdemeanor.

Criminal Offenses - Laser Pointer Restrictions

This law makes it illegal to shine a laser pointer at someone operating any vehicle, including cars, boats, airplanes, and other motor vehicles, which is classified as a Class B misdemeanor.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new rule that says pointing a laser beam from any device at someone operating an automobile, boat, airplane, or other motor vehicle is against the law.
  • Defines this action as a Class B misdemeanor.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who operate vehicles like cars, boats, and planes
  • Anyone using laser pointers or similar devices

Terms To Know

Class B misdemeanor
A type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than other types of misdemeanors.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to actions taken on or after July 1, 2025.
  • It does not specify penalties beyond classifying the offense as a Class B misdemeanor.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0191

Plain English: The amendment adds a new law making it illegal to use a laser pointer or similar device to shine a beam at someone operating a vehicle, which is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.

  • Adds a new section to Title 39 of the Tennessee Code Annotated that makes it an offense to knowingly activate and point a laser pointer or other laser-emitting device at a person operating a vehicle.
  • Classifies this offense as a Class B misdemeanor.
  • The amendment does not specify penalties beyond classifying the offense as a Class B misdemeanor, so additional details about fines or jail time are not provided.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0429

Plain English: The amendment adds a new law making it illegal to use a laser pointer or similar device to shine a beam at someone operating a vehicle, which is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor.

  • Adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated that makes it an offense to knowingly activate and point a laser pointer or other laser-emitting device at a person operating a vehicle.
  • Classifies the offense as a Class B misdemeanor.
  • The amendment does not specify penalties beyond classifying the offense as a Class B misdemeanor, so additional details about fines or jail time are not provided.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 88

  3. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 88

  4. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 29, Nays 0

  10. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0057)

  11. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  12. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  13. 2025-03-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025

  14. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  16. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  17. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/5/2025

  18. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  19. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 97, Nays 0, PNV 0

  20. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0011)

  21. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 2/24/2025

  23. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/20/2025

  24. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  25. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/19/2025

  27. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  28. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  29. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  31. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  32. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  33. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  34. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  36. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON FEBRUARY 24, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 191, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies (i) that the person must be operating, instead of driving, and (ii) that this of
fense applies to a person operating any aircraft, instead of just an airplane.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 429
By Reeves

HOUSE BILL 191
By Lamberth

HB0191
001598
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to criminal offenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) It is an offense to knowingly activate and point a laser pointer or other device
utilizing a laser beam at a person driving an automobile, boat, airplane, or other motor
vehicle.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts committed on or after that date.