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HB1025 • 2026

Juvenile Offenders

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to juvenile offenders.

Children Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Russell, Lowe
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the bill will affect minors under 16 who do not yet have driving privileges.

Juvenile Offenders Driving Privileges

This bill requires minors found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying to have their driving privileges suspended for one year, with exceptions allowing restricted licenses under certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a rule that when a minor is adjudicated delinquent for bullying or cyberbullying, the court must suspend the minor's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver’s license for one year.
  • Allows the court to issue an order for a restricted driver’s license if needed for travel to and from school during regular hours and work, but not for social events or extracurricular activities.
  • Requires that any order allowing a restricted license must clearly state when and where driving is allowed and be part of the court's decision.
  • Gives minors 10 days to get a certified copy of their court order and apply for a restricted driver’s license at the Department of Safety.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Minors who are found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying
  • Courts that handle cases involving juvenile offenders
  • The Tennessee Department of Safety

Terms To Know

Restricted driver’s license
A special type of driver's license given to minors who need it for school and work but not for other activities.
Adjudicated delinquent
When a court decides that a minor has broken the law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a minor needs to drive outside of school or work hours.
  • It is unclear how this will affect minors who are under 16 and do not yet have driving privileges.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1025

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for juvenile offenders who violate certain laws by suspending their driving privileges and allowing restricted licenses under specific conditions.

  • Adds a requirement that the court must suspend a minor's driving privileges or ability to get a driver’s license for one year if they are found guilty of violating Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(a)(5).
  • Allows the court to issue a restricted driver’s license under certain conditions, such as travel to and from school, work, and church services.
  • Specifies that a juvenile offender can get a certified copy of the order allowing a restricted license within ten days after it is issued.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how the suspension or restriction will be enforced or what happens if a minor violates these restrictions.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0170

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for juvenile offenders who violate certain laws by suspending their driving privileges for one year and allowing them to get a restricted driver's license under specific conditions.

  • Juvenile offenders who break certain laws will have their driving privileges suspended for one year.
  • A court can issue a restricted driver’s license to these juveniles, which allows travel only to school, work, and church services during specified times.
  • The amendment does not specify all the details of how the restricted licenses will be issued or enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 292

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 292

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 0, PNV 3

  10. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0353)

  11. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  12. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  13. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  14. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  15. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 85, Nays 10, PNV 0

  16. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0195)

  17. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2025

  19. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025

  20. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  21. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 1

  22. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025

  26. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025

  27. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  28. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/26/2025

  29. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/26/2025

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  31. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  33. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/5/25

  38. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  39. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  41. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  46. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  47. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Under present law, an act of harassment by a minor committed by engaging in bullying or cyberbullying is a delinquent act and must be punished as such under state law. Beginning July 1, 2025, thi
s bill adds that, in addition to any other disposition authorized by law, the disposition must include the suspension of the minor's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver license for a period of one year in accordance with the procedures set ou
t
in applicable state law pertaining to motor vehicles, penalties, crimes, and procedures.

ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1025, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:



Authorizes the court to
issue an order for a restricted driver license for a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for a violation of
harassment by bullying or cyberbullying
, if the juvenile has not previously been adjudicated delinquent for
such
a violation.



Authorizes a
restricted license
to
be granted for travel to and from school during regular school hours, to and from and working at the person's regular place of employment, and to and from church services.



Prohibits such
restricted license
from
be
ing
granted for travel to and from social events or extracurricular school activities.



Requires a
n order allowing a restricted license
to
state with all practicable specificity the necessary time and places of permissible operation of a motor vehicle and t
o
be made part of the judgment of the court.



Authorizes t
he juvenile offender
to
obtain a certified copy of the order and within 10 days after the order is issued, present the order together with an application fee of $20, to the department of safety
,
which
must
forthwith issue a restricted license embodying the limitations imposed if the person has reached the proper age and complied with all testing requirements.



Provides that a
fter proper application and until the restricted license is issued, a certified copy of the order of judgment of the court may serve as the motor vehicle operator's license.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 170
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1025
By Russell

HB1025
000913
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37;
Title 39 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to
juvenile offenders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(d)(2), is amended by
adding the following at the end of the subdivision:
In addition to any other disposition authorized by law, the disposition must include the
suspension of the minor's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver license for a
period of one (1) year in accordance with the procedures set out in title 55, chapter 10,
part 7.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts committed on or after that date.