Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Making It Illegal to Refuse a Police Officer’s Order to Exit a Car

This bill makes it against the law for someone who is driving and has been pulled over by a police officer to refuse to get out of their car when asked.

What This Bill Does

• Adds a new rule that says refusing to leave your car after being stopped by a police officer is now a crime.
• Defines this refusal as a Class B misdemeanor, unless the person uses a deadly weapon, then it becomes a more serious offense (Class A misdemeanor).
• Sets penalties for these crimes: up to six months in jail and/or a fine of $500 for a Class B misdemeanor; up to 11 months, 29 days in jail and/or a fine of $2,500 for a Class A misdemeanor.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are driving cars that have been legally stopped by police officers.
• Law enforcement officers who stop drivers during traffic stops.

Terms To Know

Class B Misdemeanor

A less serious crime that can result in up to six months in jail and/or a fine of $500.

Class A Misdemeanor

A more serious crime than a Class B misdemeanor, which can lead to up to 11 months, 29 days in jail and/or a fine of $2,500.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if someone refuses to exit their car without using a deadly weapon.
• It is unclear how this law will be enforced or its impact on public safety.

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that

i
t is an offense for a
person to intentionally prevent or obstruct anyone known to the person to be a law enforcement officer, or anyone acting in a law enforcement officer's presence and at the officer's direction, from effecting a stop, frisk, halt, arrest
,
or search of any pe
rson, including the defendant, by using force against the law enforcement officer or another.

This bill adds that it is an offense for a person
, who is driving a motor vehicle that has been lawfully stopped by a law enforcement officer, to intentionally
refuse the law enforcement officer's request that the person exit from the motor vehicle.
A violation constitutes
a Class B misdemeanor
,
unless the defendant uses a deadly weapon to resist the stop, frisk, halt, arrest, search
,
or process server, in which
event the violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by an authorized term of imprisonment
not greater than six months
,
a fine not to exceed $500, or both
. A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by an authorized term of impris
onment
not greater than 11 months, 29 days
,
a fine not to exceed $2,500, or both
.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 829
By Hensley

SB0829
002762
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 16, relative to criminal offenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-602(a), is amended by
redesignating subsection (a) as subdivision (a)(1) and adding the following new subdivision:
(2) It is an offense for a person, who is driving a motor vehicle that has been
lawfully stopped by a law enforcement officer, to intentionally refuse the law enforcement
officer's request that the person exit from the motor vehicle.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.