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HB0555 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to burglary.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Capley, Taylor
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on other changes beyond reclassifying vehicle burglary as a Class D felony.

Changing Punishment for Vehicle Burglaries

This bill changes burglary of vehicles from a Class E felony to a Class D felony.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes burglary of vehicles from a Class E felony to a Class D felony.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit burglary of vehicles will face more severe punishment under this law.

Terms To Know

Class E felony
A serious crime with a sentence of at least one year but no more than six years in prison and a fine not exceeding $3,000.
Class D felony
An even more serious crime with a sentence of at least two years but no more than 12 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $5,000.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much it will cost to enforce the new law.
  • It is unclear if this change will reduce vehicle burglaries or improve public safety.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to SB0671

Plain English: This amendment changes Tennessee's burglary laws by making all burglaries a Class D felony and adjusting sentencing guidelines.

  • Removes subsections (c) and (d) from Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-1002, and replaces them with new language stating that burglary is now a Class D felony.
  • Deletes subdivision (g)(1)(A)(xxi) from Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-101.
  • Modifies subdivision (g)(1)(D)(xviii) in the same section to specify that burglary, except for those involving habitation, is covered under Sections 39-14-402 or 39-13-1002.
  • The amendment text does not provide detailed information about how these changes will affect existing laws and sentencing practices beyond the specified sections.
  • It is unclear what specific content was removed from subsections (c) and (d) of Section 39-13-1002.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to Next Calendar

  3. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  6. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  8. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  9. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  10. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  11. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 4/2/2025

  12. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  14. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  15. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  16. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/19/2025

  17. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/19/2025

  18. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/12/2025

  19. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  22. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  23. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  24. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  25. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  26. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  27. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  28. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  29. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  30. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that (i)
a Class D felony
is generally punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of
not less than two years nor more than 12 years and a
potential
fine not to exceed $5,000
, and (iii)
a Class E felony
is generally punishable by a sentence of imprisonment of
not less than one year n
or more than six years and a
potential
fine not to exceed $3,000
.

Present law provides that a
person commits a Class
E
felony burglary who,
enters
any freight or passenger car, automobile, truck, trailer, boat, airplane, or other motor vehicle with inten
t to commit a felony, theft, or assault or commits or attempts to commit a felony, theft, or assault.
This bill reclassifies this burglary offense as a Class D felony.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 671
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 555
By Capley

HB0555
001288
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 40, relative to burglary.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-1002, is amended by deleting
subsections (c) and (d) and substituting:
(c) Burglary is a Class D felony.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-101, is amended by deleting
subdivision (g)(1)(A)(xxi).
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-32-101, is amended by deleting
subdivision (g)(1)(D)(xviii) and substituting:
(xviii) Section 39-13-1002 — Burglary — other than habitation;
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to offenses committed on or after that date.