Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details about the exact items considered criminal instruments, leaving this definition vague.

Creating a New Crime for Traveling with Intent to Steal Cash

This bill creates a new criminal offense in Tennessee for traveling on the same path as another person without substantial deviation while carrying items meant for theft, intending to steal cash from businesses or financial institutions.

What This Bill Does

• Creates an offense when someone travels with intent to steal cash from a business or bank and carries two or more tools used for committing theft.
• Classifies the new crime as a Class A misdemeanor unless it involves burglary or robbery, in which case it becomes a felony.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who travel with intent to steal cash from businesses or banks and carry tools meant for committing theft.
• Law enforcement agencies that will enforce the new law.
• Courts that will handle cases involving this new crime.

Terms To Know

Class A misdemeanor

A serious but not the most severe type of criminal offense in Tennessee, punishable by up to eleven months and twenty-nine days in jail or a fine.

Criminal instrument

An item that is not illegal on its own but can be used for committing crimes like theft or burglary.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact items considered 'criminal instruments'.
• It's unclear how this law will affect existing laws and enforcement practices.
• The bill has not yet been signed into law as of April 9, 2026.

Official Summary Text

This bill creates an
offense for a person to knowingly travel, with intent to commit theft of another person's cash, from a commercial business
,
or
a
financial institution
, on the same path or route as another person without substantial deviation from that path or route while in possession of two or more criminal instruments.

The offense created in this bill is generally classified as a
Class A misdemeanor
, except in the following situations:



The offense is
a Class D felony if, during the commission of the offense, the person commits a
burglary offense
.


The offense is
a Class B felony if, during the commission of the offense, the person commits a
robbery offense
.

As used in this
bill
, "criminal instrument" means an item or thing, the possession of which is not otherwise an offense, that is possessed, used, made, designed, or adapted for use in the commission of
a burglary
offense or
theft of property
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1737
By White

HOUSE BILL 1668
By Rudd
HB1668
008929
- 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 17, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) It is an offense for a person to knowingly travel, with intent to commit theft of
another person's cash, from a commercial business or a financial institution, as defined
in § 45-11-102, on the same path or route as another person without substantial
deviation from that path or route while in possession of two (2) or more criminal
instruments.
(b)
(1) Except as provided in subdivisions (b)(2) and (b)(3), a violation of
subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class D felony if, during the
commission of the offense, the person commits a violation of title 39, chapter 13,
part 10.
(3) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class B felony if, during the
commission of the offense, the person commits a violation of title 39, chapter 13,
part 4.
(c) As used in this section, "criminal instrument" means an item or thing, the
possession of which is not otherwise an offense, that is possessed, used, made,
designed, or adapted for use in the commission of an offense under title 39, chapter 13,
part 10 or § 39-14-103.

- 2 - 008929

SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.