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SB0987 • 2026

Aircraft and Airports

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 12-10-109 and Title 42, relative to parking fee exemptions for military service.

Active

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

Sponsor
Southerland
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on the financial impact or specific types of license plates beyond what is listed. The official digest text indicates potential fiscal impacts but does not specify them fully.

Parking Fee Exemption for Military Service

This bill exempts motor vehicles displaying certain military or veteran license plates from airport parking fees charged by local authorities.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempts motor vehicles with eligible military or memorial license plates from paying airport parking fees at airports managed by local authorities, not the federal government.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners or lessees of vehicles displaying eligible military or memorial license plates.
  • Disabled veterans using vehicles with the specified license plates.

Terms To Know

Eligible Military or Memorial License Plates
License plates that display honors awarded to service members and veterans, such as the Purple Heart or Bronze Star (Valor).

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not apply to parking fees charged by federal government entities.

Bill History

  1. Date Tennessee General Assembly

  2. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  3. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  4. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill exempts motor vehicles from an
airport parking fee collected or charged by a municipality or an airport authority, other than the federal government, if the vehicle displays a veteran or military award license plate and is operated by or for the transportation of an owner or lessee of
the vehicle; a disabled veteran; or the owner or operator of a vehicle displaying a disabled veteran license plate issued by another state.

The eligible military or memorial license plates for this exemption are the following:



Congressional Medal of Honor


Distinguished Service Cross


Navy Cross


Air Force Cross


Silver Star


Distinguished Flying Cross


Bronze Star (Valor)


Air Medal (Valor)


Holder of the Purple Heart


Disabled Veteran


Disabled Veteran (service-connected)


Former Prisoner of War


Bronze Star (Meritorious)


Air Medal (Meritorious)


Legion of Merit


A disabled veteran license plate issued by another state

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 987
By Southerland

SB0987
000502
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
12-10-109 and Title 42, relative to parking fee
exemptions for military service.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 42, Chapter 3, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) A motor vehicle on which an eligible military or memorial license plate
described by subsection (b) is displayed is exempt from the payment of an airport
parking fee collected or charged by an authority other than a branch of the federal
government, when being operated by or for the transportation of:
(1) An owner or lessee of the vehicle; or
(2) A disabled veteran, as described in § 55-4-256 or § 55-4-277.
(b) The following are eligible military or memorial license plates:
(1) Congressional Medal of Honor, under § 55-4-258;
(2) Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver
Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star (Valor), or Air Medal (Valor), under
§ 55-4-259;
(3) Holder of the Purple Heart, under § 55-4-257;
(4) Disabled Veteran, under § 55-4-256;
(5) Disabled Veteran (service-connected), under § 55-4-277;
(6) Former Prisoner of War, under § 55-4-261;
(7) Bronze Star (Meritorious) or Air Medal (Meritorious), under § 55-4-
260;

- 2 - 000502

(8) Legion of Merit, under § 55-4-275; and
(9) A disabled veteran license plate issued by another state.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 42, Chapter 4, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:
(a) A motor vehicle on which an eligible military or memorial license plate
described by subsection (b) is displayed is exempt from the payment of an airport
parking fee collected or charged by an authority other than a branch of the federal
government, when being operated by or for the transportation of:
(1) An owner or lessee of the vehicle; or
(2) A disabled veteran, as described in § 55-4-256 or § 55-4-277.
(b) The following are eligible military or memorial license plates:
(1) Congressional Medal of Honor, under § 55-4-258;
(2) Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver
Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star (Valor), or Air Medal (Valor), under
§ 55-4-259;
(3) Holder of the Purple Heart, under § 55-4-257;
(4) Disabled Veteran, under § 55-4-256;
(5) Disabled Veteran (service-connected), under § 55-4-277;
(6) Former Prisoner of War, under § 55-4-261;
(7) Bronze Star (Meritorious) or Air Medal (Meritorious), under § 55-4-
260;
(8) Legion of Merit, under § 55-4-275; and
(9) A disabled veteran license plate issued by another state.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 42, Chapter 5, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:

- 3 - 000502

(a) A motor vehicle on which an eligible military or memorial license plate
described by subsection (b) is displayed is exempt from the payment of an airport
parking fee collected or charged by an authority other than a branch of the federal
government, when being operated by or for the transportation of:
(1) An owner or lessee of the vehicle; or
(2) A disabled veteran, as described in § 55-4-256 or § 55-4-277.
(b) The following are eligible military or memorial license plates:
(1) Congressional Medal of Honor, under § 55-4-258;
(2) Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver
Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star (Valor), or Air Medal (Valor), under
§ 55-4-259;
(3) Holder of the Purple Heart, under § 55-4-257;
(4) Disabled Veteran, under § 55-4-256;
(5) Disabled Veteran (service-connected), under § 55-4-277;
(6) Former Prisoner of War, under § 55-4-261;
(7) Bronze Star (Meritorious) or Air Medal (Meritorious), under § 55-4-
260;
(8) Legion of Merit, under § 55-4-275; and
(9) A disabled veteran license plate issued by another state.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 12-10-109(e), is amended by
deleting the language "except as expressly provided in this chapter" and substituting instead the
language "except as expressly provided in this chapter or in Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this act".
SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.