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HB0302 • 2026

Traffic Safety

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to restrictions on vehicular use of public highways and streets.

Children Crime
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Martin G, Watson
Last action
2025-05-02
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 158
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information on whether the law applies to passengers or people standing near streets or highways.

Traffic Safety Law

This law makes it illegal for vehicle occupants to block traffic on streets or highways while soliciting, negotiating, or completing an employment transaction with someone near the road.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it against the law for people in cars to block traffic when they are talking about work deals with others nearby.
  • Adds penalties if blocking traffic causes accidents, making those violations more serious crimes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Drivers and passengers in vehicles

Terms To Know

Class C misdemeanor
A minor crime that usually results in a small fine.
Class B misdemeanor
A more serious crime than a Class C, which can result in larger fines or jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what types of employment transactions are covered.
  • It is unclear how strictly this new rule will be enforced by police officers.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0302

Plain English: The amendment adds an exception to a rule, allowing certain actions during parades or special events if there is a valid permit from the local government.

  • Adds an exception to subdivision (a)(2) of Section 1 in HB0302, stating that it does not apply when someone has a valid parade or special event permit and their action relates reasonably to the time or purpose of the permit.
  • The amendment text is brief and may not fully explain all aspects of how this exception will be applied in practice.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 158

  2. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 158

  4. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  12. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 69, Nays 17, PNV 9

  13. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0146)

  14. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  15. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 3/27/2025

  16. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Objected to on Consent Calendar.

  17. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/24/2025

  18. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/20/2025

  19. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  21. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/18/2025

  22. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee

  23. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  25. 2025-03-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/10/2025

  26. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  27. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  28. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  31. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  32. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  33. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2025-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 248
By Watson

HOUSE BILL 302
By Martin G

HB0302
001442
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to
restrictions on vehicular use of public highways
and streets.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-139(a), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (1) and adding the following as a new
subdivision (2):
(2) It is an offense for an occupant of a vehicle to park, leave standing, or stop
the vehicle on a street or highway and to block or impede the normal movement of traffic
for the purpose of soliciting, negotiating, or consummating an employment transaction
with a person standing on or in proximity to the street or highway.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-139(e), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting instead:
(e) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor; except, that:
(1) A person who violates subsection (c) must receive a warning citation
for a first offense; and
(2) If a vehicle parked, left standing, or stopped on a street or highway in
violation of subdivision (a)(2) causes or contributes to a motor vehicle accident,
then a violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.