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SB1420 • 2026

Driver Licenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, relative to examinations for driver licenses and intermediate driver licenses.

Active

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

Sponsor
Akbari, Harris
Last action
2025-05-15
Official status
Effective date(s) 01/01/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact nature and extent of updates required in the driver manual are not specified beyond ensuring sufficient information about bicycle hand signals.

Driver License Exam Changes

This law requires driver license and intermediate driver license exams in Tennessee to include questions about bicycle hand signals.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds new questions to written tests for driver licenses and intermediate driver licenses concerning hand signals used by operators of bicycles to communicate turning, slowing, and stopping.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People applying for a driver license in Tennessee
  • People taking intermediate driver license exams in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Driver License
A permit that allows someone to legally drive a vehicle on public roads.
Intermediate Driver License
A type of driver license given to younger drivers with less experience, often with certain restrictions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The Department of Safety will ensure the driver manual includes information on bicycle hand signals.
  • It is assumed that updates to the exam questions will be accomplished by a current vendor contract at no additional cost. However, if this provision is exhausted, there could be an estimated one-time increase in expenditures of $39,000.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 01/01/2026

  2. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 469

  3. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 469

  4. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  14. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/17/2025

  15. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  16. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/17/2025

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  20. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  21. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  22. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to Drivers License Calendar

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  25. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  26. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/17/2025

  27. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  28. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  29. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/12/2025

  30. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/4/2025

  33. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/25/2025

  35. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  37. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  38. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  40. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  41. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1378
By Harris

SENATE BILL 1420
By Akbari

SB1420
001400
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 50, relative to examinations for driver
licenses and intermediate driver licenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-322(a), is amended by adding
the following new subdivision:
(3) Written examinations administered to applicants for a driver license or
intermediate driver license must include questions concerning hand signals used by
operators of bicycles to communicate turning, slowing, and stopping. The department
shall ensure the driver manual used to prepare applicants for the license examination
includes sufficient information concerning such hand signals to enable a reasonably
diligent applicant to correctly answer the additional questions.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.