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HB2472 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.

Crime Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Grills, Lowe
Last action
2026-03-25
Official status
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on enforcement mechanisms or consequences if the person needing aid refuses it.

Criminal Negligence for Failing to Help Someone

This bill changes Tennessee law to make failing or refusing to help an unconscious person or someone needing medical care after drug use a form of criminally negligent conduct.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'criminally negligent conduct' in Tennessee's criminal laws.
  • Includes failing or refusing to render aid to another who is unconscious or needs medical care after consuming drugs as criminally negligent conduct if the person knows or reasonably should know about it.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who might not help someone needing medical attention after drug use
  • Law enforcement officers enforcing new criminal laws

Terms To Know

Criminally negligent conduct
Actions that are very careless and can lead to a crime if they cause death.
Unconsciousness or need for medical care
When someone is not awake or needs help from doctors because of being hurt or sick after consuming drugs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the person needing help refuses it.
  • It's unclear how this law will be enforced in real situations.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Deferred to Summer Study

  3. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  8. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  9. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026

  10. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/9/2026

  11. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  12. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  13. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  14. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  15. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  16. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  19. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  20. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1955
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 2472
By Grills
HB2472
011158
- 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, Section 39-13-212, is amended by deleting
subsection (a) and substituting:
(a)
(1) Criminally negligent conduct that results in death constitutes
criminally negligent homicide.
(2) As used in this subsection (a), "criminally negligent conduct” includes
failing or refusing to render aid to another who the person knows or reasonably
should know is unconscious or in need of medical care, and the person failing or
refusing to act knows or reasonably should know that the unconsciousness or
need for medical care occurred after the consumption of any controlled
substance, as defined in § 39-17-402.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.