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SB1148 • 2026

Traffic Safety

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, relative to transportation.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Crowe, Alexander
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 197
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on the exact impact of helmet requirements or how this change will affect traffic safety overall.

Traffic Safety Law Changes

This law changes when certain transportation rules take effect and defines what 'fully enclosed' means for autocycles regarding crash helmet requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the date when a rule about crash helmets takes effect to February 1, 2026.
  • Defines 'fully enclosed' as having side panels, a roll bar or roof, and a windshield for autocycles.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who ride autocycles in Tennessee
  • Law enforcement officers enforcing traffic safety rules

Terms To Know

autocycle
A type of vehicle with three wheels, often used for transportation.
fully enclosed
Having side panels, a roll bar or roof, and a windshield.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact impact on helmet requirements.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect traffic safety overall.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0859

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's traffic safety laws by defining what 'fully enclosed' means for certain vehicles.

  • Adds a new subsection (c) to Section 55-9-302 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, which defines 'fully enclosed' as having side panels, a roll bar or roof, and a windshield.
  • The amendment does not specify what type of vehicles this definition applies to.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect existing traffic safety laws in Tennessee.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1148

Plain English: The amendment adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-9-302, defining what 'fully enclosed' means for transportation vehicles.

  • Adds a definition of 'fully enclosed' which includes side panels, a roll bar or roof, and a windshield.
  • The amendment does not specify how this new definition will be applied or enforced in traffic safety regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 197

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/11/2025

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 197

  4. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  10. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 1, PNV 1

  11. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0149)

  12. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  14. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/27/2025

  15. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 91, Nays 2, PNV 2

  17. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0116)

  18. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/24/2025

  20. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  21. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/20/2025

  22. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  25. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/18/2025

  26. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  28. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  29. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Transportation Committee

  30. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  32. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  33. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 24, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 859
, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, define that "fully enclosed" means having side panels, a roll bar or roof, and a windshield with regard to crash helmet requirements not applying to autocycles that are fully enclosed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 859
By Alexander

SENATE BILL 1148
By Crowe

SB1148
002895
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
relative to transportation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-428(c), is amended by
deleting the language "December 1, 2025" and substituting instead the language "February 1,
2026".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.