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SB0163 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 1, relative to reckless endangerment.

Crime Firearms
Active

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

Sponsor
Hensley, Reeves
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on enforcement mechanisms or specific funding sources.

Changing Penalties for Reckless Endangerment with Firearms

This bill increases the penalty for discharging a firearm or antique firearm into an occupied motor vehicle from a Class E felony to a Class C felony, and reduces it to a Class D felony if the vehicle is unoccupied.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the penalty for discharging a firearm or antique firearm into an occupied motor vehicle from a Class E felony to a Class C felony.
  • Reduces the penalty to a Class D felony if the motor vehicle is unoccupied at the time of the offense.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit reckless endangerment by firing guns into cars with people inside will face more severe penalties.
  • Law enforcement and courts dealing with such cases will need to apply new sentencing guidelines.

Terms To Know

Class C felony
A serious crime that carries a longer prison sentence than other types of felonies.
Class D felony
A less severe felony compared to Class C, but still considered a serious crime.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how it will be enforced or funded.
  • It is unclear if there are any exceptions or additional requirements for antique firearms.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0468

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee law to make firing a gun into an occupied house or car a more serious crime and allows for multiple charges if other laws are broken at the same time.

  • Firing a gun into an occupied house or car is now a Class C felony, which is a more severe punishment than before.
  • If someone fires a gun into an unoccupied house or car, it becomes a Class D felony instead of a Class C felony.
  • The amendment also allows for multiple charges if the act of firing a gun violates other criminal laws.
  • The exact penalties and legal consequences are not detailed in this amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0163

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee law to make firing a gun into an occupied house or car a more serious crime and allows for multiple charges if other laws are broken at the same time.

  • Firing a gun into an occupied house or car is now a Class C felony, which is a more severe punishment than before.
  • If someone fires a gun into an unoccupied house or car, it becomes a Class D felony instead of a Class C felony.
  • The amendment also allows for multiple charges if the act of firing a gun violates other criminal laws.
  • The exact penalties and consequences are not detailed in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  7. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 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

  9. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025

  14. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/9/2025

  15. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/2/2025

  21. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/02/2025

  22. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/26/2025

  23. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  25. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  26. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-02-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  32. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  33. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  36. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 468
By Reeves

SENATE BILL 163
By Hensley

SB0163
000981
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 13, Part 1, relative to reckless
endangerment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-103(b)(3), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(3) Reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm or antique firearm into a
habitation, as defined by § 39-14-401, or motor vehicle, as defined by § 55-1-103, is a
Class C felony, unless the habitation or motor vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the
offense, in which event the offense is a Class D felony.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.