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SB1736 • 2026

Sentencing

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to leaving the scene of an accident.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
White, Stevens
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's title and abstract do not provide specific details about funding or exact impacts on government expenditures.

James Bardsley Life Protection Act

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to increase penalties for leaving the scene of an accident that causes injury or death.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes leaving the scene of an accident causing injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony.
  • Increases penalties for those who leave after knowing or should have known their actions caused someone’s death, making it a Class D felony.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are involved in accidents where they cause injury or death.
  • Law enforcement agencies that enforce traffic laws.
  • Courts that handle cases involving leaving the scene of an accident.

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can result in a prison sentence longer than one year.
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime that usually results in a shorter jail time or fines.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how it will be funded.
  • It is unclear what the exact impact on local government expenditures will be beyond the initial year.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  8. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  11. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  12. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  14. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/9/2026

  15. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  16. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  17. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  18. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  19. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  20. 2026-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  21. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  22. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  23. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  24. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1521
By Stevens

SENATE BILL 1736
By White
SB1736
010186
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to
leaving the scene of an accident.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "James Bardsley Life Protection
Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-101(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class E felony.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-101(b)(2)(A), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(A) It is a Class D felony for a person to fail to stop or to comply with the
requirements of subsection (a) when the person knew or should reasonably have known
that death resulted from the accident.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.