Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify how accidental discharges are treated under the new law.

Amending Tennessee Law on Reckless Endangerment

This bill changes Tennessee's law to make it a crime for someone to recklessly discharge a firearm into the air in densely populated areas.

What This Bill Does

• Adds that discharging a firearm into the air while in a densely populated area is now against the law as part of reckless endangerment laws.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who live or are present in densely populated areas
• Law enforcement agencies that will enforce the new law

Terms To Know

Reckless Endangerment

An act of putting someone at risk of serious harm or death without meaning to.

Densely Populated Area

A place where the population and housing density, as well as the number of people present at a specific time, indicate it is crowded.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if someone accidentally discharges a firearm into the air.
• It's unclear how law enforcement will determine whether an area qualifies as 'densely populated'.

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that a
person commits an offense who recklessl
y engages in conduct that places or may place another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.
This bill adds that a person commits such offense who
recklessly discharges a firearm into the air while in a densely populated area
, which

may be proven by evidence of the population of the city or county, housing density in the immediate area of the offense, the number of persons present at the time of the offense, or any other evidence.

Present law provides that r
eckless endangerment
:



C
ommitted with a deadly weapon is a Class E felony.



B
y discharging a firearm or antique firearm into a habitation

is a Class C felony, unless the habitation was unoccupied at the time of the offense, in which event it is a Class D felony.



B
y discharging a firearm from within a motor vehicle

is a Class C felony.

A Class E felony is punishable by an authorized term of imprisonment n
ot less than one year nor more than six years
and a potential
fine not to exceed $3,000
.

A Class D felony is punishable by an
authorized term of imprisonment
not less than two years nor more than 12 years
and a potential
fine not to exceed $5,000
.

A Class C felony is punishable by an authorized term of imprisonment
not less than three years nor more than 15 years
and a potenti
al fine
not to exceed $10,000
.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 830
By Hensley

SB0830
002763
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
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(a), is amended by
redesignating the subsection as subdivision (a)(1) and adding the following new subdivision:
(2) A person commits an offense under subdivision (a)(1) who recklessly
discharges a firearm into the air while in a densely populated area. As used in this
subdivision (a)(2), "densely populated area" may be proven by evidence of the
population of the city or county, housing density in the immediate area of the offense, the
number of persons present at the time of the offense, or any other evidence.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.