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HB1093 • 2026

Firearms and Ammunition

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

Crime Firearms
Active

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

Sponsor
Sexton, Johnson
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details about the exact penalties for individuals ineligible for parole after being convicted of aggravated assault involving a firearm from within a motor vehicle.

Firearms and Ammunition Act

This bill amends Tennessee laws to expand the definition of 'machine gun', increase penalties for possessing machine guns, and classify certain offenses involving firearm or handgun ammunition as felonies.

What This Bill Does

  • Expands the definition of 'machine gun' to include any part or combination of parts designed and intended solely for use in converting a firearm into a machine gun.
  • Makes it a felony offense to possess, manufacture, transport, repair, or sell parts that can convert firearms into machine guns unless in compliance with federal law.
  • Increases penalties for possessing a machine gun from a Class E felony to a Class C felony.
  • Classifies as a Class B felony the possession of firearm ammunition by someone convicted of violent felonies.
  • Classifies as a Class C felony the possession of firearm ammunition by someone convicted of drug-related felonies.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who possess, manufacture, transport, repair, or sell parts that can convert firearms into machine guns.
  • Individuals with past violent criminal convictions trying to own firearm ammunition.
  • Individuals with past drug-related felony convictions trying to own firearm ammunition.

Terms To Know

Machine Gun
A gun that can fire multiple rounds automatically without needing to reload after each shot.
Felony
A serious crime that carries a sentence of more than one year in prison or death.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact penalties for individuals who are ineligible for parole after being convicted of aggravated assault involving a firearm from within a motor vehicle.
  • It is unclear how this legislation will be enforced and what resources will be allocated to its implementation.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1093

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's laws related to firearms and ammunition, specifically altering definitions and eligibility for probation based on firearm use.

  • Changes the definition of 'machine gun' in Tennessee law to specify that it includes any part or combination designed to convert a firearm into a machine gun.
  • Modifies several sections of the criminal code to adjust references related to firearms, including altering conditions under which probation is not available for certain offenses involving firearms.
  • The amendment text does not provide full context about all changes made and their implications beyond what is explicitly stated.
  • Some technical legal language may be difficult to interpret without additional explanation or background.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1075

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's laws regarding firearms and ammunition, specifically altering definitions and eligibility for probation.

  • Changes the definition of 'machine gun' to include any firearm capable of shooting more than two shots automatically without manual reloading.
  • Modifies several sections in Title 39 and Title 40 of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to firearms, including altering conditions for probation eligibility and sentence reductions.
  • Adds a new subsection that prohibits early release for individuals convicted of aggravated assault involving the use of a firearm from within a motor vehicle after July 1, 2025.
  • The amendment text is technical and may require further legal interpretation to fully understand all implications.
  • Some changes involve complex legal references that are not explained in plain English within the provided text.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 513

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 513

  4. 2025-05-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 23, Nays 8

  11. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0393)

  12. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  14. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  15. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 67, Nays 12, PNV 8

  17. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0122)

  18. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2025

  19. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  20. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  21. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/17/2025

  22. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  23. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  24. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/17/2025

  26. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0

  30. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  31. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/8/2025

  32. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/2/2025

  33. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/2/2025

  34. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  37. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  39. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  40. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  41. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  42. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  43. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  44. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  45. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  46. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/12/2025

  47. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  48. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  49. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  50. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  51. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  52. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  53. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  54. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  55. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 21, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1093, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to make the following changes to present law concerning criminal j
ustice:

(1) Expands the definition of "machine gun" to include
any part, or combination of parts, designed and intended solely for use in converting a firearm into a machine gun
, the effect of which is to make the intentional or knowing possession, manu
facture, transport, repair, or sale of any such part a felony offense unless person is in full compliance with the National Firearms Act. Present law defenses will apply, such as use in military service or possession for museum exhibition;

(2) Increases
the classification for the intentional or knowing possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of a machine gun from a Class E felony to a Class C felony;

(3) Classifies as a Class B felony the possession of firearm ammunition by a person who
bee
n convicted of a felony crime of violence, an attempt to commit a felony crime of violence, or a felony involving use of a deadly weapon
;

(4) Classifies as a Class C felony the possession of firearm ammunition by a person who
been convicted of a felony
d
rug offense;

(5) Classifies as a Class E felony the possession of handgun ammunition by a person who
been convicted of a
ny felony, unless the person has been pardoned, had the conviction expunged, or had their civil rights restored; and

(6) Makes a
def
endant
ineligible for parole
if convicted of
aggravated assault that involved the use
of a firearm from within a motor vehicle
. Under present law, a person convicted of such an offense on or after July 1, 2022, is required to serve 100% of the sentence im
posed except that credits earned for satisfactory program performance may be used to reduce by up to 15%
the percentage of the sentence imposed by the court that the person must serve before becoming eligible for release on parole but shall not alter the s
entence expiration date
. Under this amendment, a person convicted of such offense on or after July 1, 2025, will not be able to use earned credits to reduce their sentence.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1075
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 1093
By Sexton

HB1093
003095
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1353(b), is amended by
deleting "ten (10) days" and substituting "fifteen (15) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.