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SB0170 • 2026

Juvenile Offenders

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to juvenile offenders.

Children Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Lowe, Russell
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 292
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how the law will be enforced or what happens after the one-year suspension period ends.

Juvenile Offenders Driving Privileges

This law requires a minor found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying to lose their driving privileges for one year but allows them to get a restricted license under certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds that if a minor is adjudicated delinquent for bullying or cyberbullying, they must have their driving privileges suspended for one year.
  • Allows the court to issue an order granting a minor a restricted driver's license for travel to and from school during regular hours, work, and church services but not for social events or extracurricular activities.
  • Requires that any order allowing a restricted license must clearly state when and where the minor can drive.
  • Authorizes the juvenile offender to obtain a certified copy of the court's order within 10 days to use as proof they are allowed to drive with restrictions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Minors who are found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying
  • Courts that handle cases involving minors accused of bullying

Terms To Know

Restricted license
A special type of driver's license given to a minor under certain conditions.
Adjudicated delinquent
When a court decides that a minor has broken the law and is guilty of an offense.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a minor needs to drive for reasons other than school, work, or church.
  • It's unclear how this will affect minors who are under 16 years old and cannot legally obtain a driver’s license.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1025

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for juvenile offenders who violate certain laws by suspending their driving privileges and allowing restricted licenses under specific conditions.

  • Adds a requirement that the court must suspend a minor's driving privileges or ability to get a driver’s license for one year if they are found guilty of violating Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(a)(5).
  • Allows the court to issue a restricted driver’s license under certain conditions, such as travel to and from school, work, and church services, but not social events or extracurricular activities.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how the suspension of driving privileges will be enforced or what happens if a minor violates the restrictions on their license.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0170

Plain English: The amendment adds requirements for juvenile offenders who violate certain laws by suspending their driving privileges for one year and allowing them to get a restricted driver's license under specific conditions.

  • Adds a requirement for the suspension of driving privileges or obtaining a driver’s license for one year for juvenile offenders who commit certain violations.
  • Allows courts to issue restricted driver licenses to juveniles under specific circumstances, such as travel to and from school and work, but not social events or extracurricular activities.
  • The amendment text does not specify all the details of how the new provisions will be implemented in practice.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 292

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 292

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  9. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  10. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 0, PNV 3

  11. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0353)

  12. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  14. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  15. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2025

  16. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 85, Nays 10, PNV 0

  17. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0195)

  18. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025

  20. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  21. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 1

  22. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  26. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  28. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  29. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/26/2025

  31. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/19/2025

  32. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/19/2025

  33. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/12/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/5/25

  38. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  39. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  41. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  46. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  47. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Under present law, an act of harassment by a minor committed by engaging in bullying or cyberbullying is a delinquent act and must be punished as such under state law. Beginning July 1, 2025, thi
s bill adds that, in addition to any other disposition authorized by law, the disposition must include the suspension of the minor's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver license for a period of one year in accordance with the procedures set ou
t
in applicable state law pertaining to motor vehicles, penalties, crimes, and procedures.

ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1025, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:



Authorizes the court to
issue an order for a restricted driver license for a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for a violation of
harassment by bullying or cyberbullying
, if the juvenile has not previously been adjudicated delinquent for
such
a violation.



Authorizes a
restricted license
to
be granted for travel to and from school during regular school hours, to and from and working at the person's regular place of employment, and to and from church services.



Prohibits such
restricted license
from
be
ing
granted for travel to and from social events or extracurricular school activities.



Requires a
n order allowing a restricted license
to
state with all practicable specificity the necessary time and places of permissible operation of a motor vehicle and t
o
be made part of the judgment of the court.



Authorizes t
he juvenile offender
to
obtain a certified copy of the order and within 10 days after the order is issued, present the order together with an application fee of $20, to the department of safety
,
which
must
forthwith issue a restricted license embodying the limitations imposed if the person has reached the proper age and complied with all testing requirements.



Provides that a
fter proper application and until the restricted license is issued, a certified copy of the order of judgment of the court may serve as the motor vehicle operator's license.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1025
By Russell

SENATE BILL 170
By Lowe

SB0170
000913
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37;
Title 39 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to
juvenile offenders.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(d)(2), is amended by
adding the following at the end of the subdivision:
In addition to any other disposition authorized by law, the disposition must include the
suspension of the minor's driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver license for a
period of one (1) year in accordance with the procedures set out in title 55, chapter 10,
part 7.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts committed on or after that date.