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HB1967 • 2026

Sentencing

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to leaving the scene of an accident.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Stevens, Hatcher
Last action
2026-04-16
Official status
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide detailed information on enforcement costs or potential defenses.

Tennessee Law on Leaving Accident Scenes

This law increases penalties for leaving the scene of an accident where death occurs and the person knew or should have known about it.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the penalty for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident that results in death from a Class E felony to a Class D felony if the person knew or reasonably believed they caused a death.
  • Requires anyone who leaves such an accident scene and meets the criteria to be punished with at least one year in prison, serving 100% of the sentence, and a fine between $5,000 and $10,000.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People involved in motor vehicle accidents where someone dies.
  • Law enforcement agencies that will enforce the law.
  • Courts and prisons dealing with cases under this law.

Terms To Know

Class D felony
A serious crime that carries a longer prison sentence than other types of felonies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much it will cost to enforce this law.
  • It's unclear if there are any exceptions or defenses for people who leave accident scenes under these circumstances.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1967

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB1967 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1602* House Bill No.
  • 1967 HA0994 016903 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1602

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB1602 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1602* House Bill No.
  • 1967 SA0821 013357 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  2. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  3. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  4. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  5. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026

  8. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  10. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  12. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  14. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0821)

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  16. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  20. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  22. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  26. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  27. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  30. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  31. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  32. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  33. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  35. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  36. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  40. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1602, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, provide that a person who is involved in a motor vehicle accident, fails
to stop or comply with
state law to provide information and render aid, and
knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident
, that, i
n addition to
a Class E felony offense, such
defendant
must
be punished by confinement for no less than one year, of which the defendant
must
serve 100%, and a fine of no less than $5,000

and no more than $10,000.

This amendment
applies to offenses committed on or after
July 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1602
By Hatcher

HOUSE BILL 1967
By Stevens
HB1967
010248
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to
leaving the scene of an accident.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-101(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class E felony.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-101(b)(2)(A), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(A) It is a Class D felony for any person to fail to stop or to comply with the
requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known
that death resulted from the accident.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.