KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

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

Plain English Breakdown

The 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: The amendment changes Tennessee law to make it a felony with specific penalties if someone knows or should know they caused a death by leaving the scene of an accident.

  • Changes Section 55-10-101(b)(2)(A) of Tennessee Code Annotated, making it a Class E felony for anyone who leaves the scene of an accident and knew or reasonably should have known that their actions caused someone's death.
  • Requires a minimum sentence of one year in prison with no parole eligibility for at least 100% of this time, along with a mandatory fine ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
  • The amendment text does not specify how the law will be enforced or what happens if someone is unsure whether they caused death.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect existing cases or those committed before July 1, 2026.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1602

Plain English: The amendment changes the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident where someone dies from a misdemeanor to a felony with specific minimum sentences.

  • Changes the offense of failing to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony.
  • Requires a sentence of at least one year imprisonment, without possibility of parole for that time, and a fine between $5,000 and $10,000.
  • The amendment text does not specify the exact circumstances under which someone 'should reasonably have known' about death resulting from an accident.
  • It is unclear how this change will be enforced or if it will lead to more convictions.

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

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0821)

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  9. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  13. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  32. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  33. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 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.