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SB1303 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Johnson, Lamberth
Last action
2025-04-04
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 84
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The original explanation included details that were not fully supported by the provided official material, such as specific conditions under which a misdemeanor becomes a felony. The exact circumstances for this change in classification are not clearly stated in the summary text.

Rules for Protecting People with Special Protection

This law makes it illegal to block or refuse to leave an area when asked by someone protecting people who need special care.

What This Bill Does

  • It says that if you intentionally stop a member of the Division of Protective Services from entering, leaving, or moving around a place where they are responsible for protecting someone important, you can get in trouble.
  • If you refuse to leave an area when told to by a member of the Division of Protective Services who is restricting access to maintain safety or security, it is against the rules.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who protect others with special needs
  • Anyone who might try to block access or refuse to leave an area when asked by someone protecting someone important

Terms To Know

Division of Protective Services
A part of the Tennessee Department of Safety that protects people with special needs.
Class A Misdemeanor
A type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than other misdemeanors.
Class E Felony
The least severe type of felony, which is still very serious compared to misdemeanors.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify what happens if someone accidentally blocks access or refuses to leave an area.
  • The law starts on July 1, 2025, so it will take effect later this year.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 84

  2. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 84

  4. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 25, Nays 6

  12. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  14. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/13/2025

  15. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 73, Nays 20, PNV 0

  17. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025

  19. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025

  20. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  21. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2025-02-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  24. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/4/2025

  25. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  26. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  27. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  28. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  29. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  30. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/19/2025

  31. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  35. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  36. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  37. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  38. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  39. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  40. 2025-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that, generally, a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person
intentionally impedes or obstructs a member of the
department of safety's
division of protective services
("divi
sion")
from ingress to, egress from, or movement about a location where the member is responsible for a person protected by the division.
However, the classification increases to a Class E felony if
the person who committed the offense was a threat to the
safety or security of the person protected by the division.

This bill further provides that a person commits a Class E felony if the person
intentionally refuses to vacate an area where access has been restricted by a member of the division
for
the purp
ose of maintaining the safety or security of the person protected by the division.

As used in this bill, "division" also includes
any member of the Tennessee highway patrol, commissioned member of the office of homeland security, or other state or local
law enforcement officer who is actively engaged in supporting the division's operations
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 120
By Lamberth

SENATE BILL 1303
By Johnson

SB1303
000561
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 16, Part 5, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Division of protective services" means the division of the department
of safety established under § 4-3-2006, and includes any member of the
Tennessee highway patrol, commissioned member of the office of homeland
security, or other state or local law enforcement officer who is actively engaged in
supporting the division's operations; and
(2) "Person protected by the division of protective services" means any
person whom the division of protective services has been authorized by the
commissioner of safety to protect and is actively engaged in protecting under § 4-
3-2006.
(b)
(1) A person commits an offense who intentionally impedes or obstructs
a member of the division of protective services from ingress to, egress from, or
movement about a location where the member is responsible for a person
protected by the division of protective services.
(2) A person commits an offense who intentionally refuses to vacate an
area where access has been restricted by a member of the division of protective

- 2 - 000561

services for the purpose of maintaining the safety or security of the person
protected by the division of protective services.
(c)
(1)
(A) Except as provided in subdivision (c)(1)(B), a violation of
subdivision (b)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(B) A violation of subdivision (b)(1) is a Class E felony if the
person who committed the offense was a threat to the safety or security
of the person protected by the division of protective services.
(2) A violation of subdivision (b)(2) is a Class E felony.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.