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SB1840 • 2026

Statutes of Limitations and Repose

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 28; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to statutes of limitations.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Briggs, McKenzie
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Extending Time Limits for Wrongful Death Cases

This act changes how long people have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the time limit for filing a wrongful death case from one year to two years after the event happens.
  • Increases the time limit to three years if criminal charges are filed against someone accused of causing or contributing to the death within two years.
  • Requires prosecution for vehicular homicide committed on or after July 1, 2026, to start within ten years.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Tennessee.
  • Law enforcement officers and district attorneys involved in criminal cases related to deaths.
  • Individuals accused of causing or contributing to someone's death.

Terms To Know

Wrongful Death
When someone dies because another person was negligent, reckless, or intentionally harmful.
Statute of Limitations
The legal time limit for filing a lawsuit after an event happens.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Applies only to wrongful death cases that occur on or after July 1, 2026.
  • Does not specify what happens if the criminal case is delayed beyond two years.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2432

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2432 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1840* House Bill No.
  • 2432 HA0984 015065 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1840

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB1840 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1840* House Bill No.
  • 2432 SA0641 015065 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 58, Nays 30, PNV 5

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0984)

  7. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  8. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/8/2026

  11. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  12. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  15. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  18. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0641)

  22. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  26. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  27. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026

  28. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026

  31. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  37. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill extends the statute of limitations for causes of action for wrongful death that accrue on or after July 1, 2026. Present law requires such a cause of action to be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued. This bill generally
extends the statute of limitations to two years after the cause of action accrued. However, this bill further extends the statute of limitations to three years after the cause of action accrued if all of the following criteria is met:



Criminal charges are brought against a person alleged to have caused or contributed to the death.



The conduct, transaction, or occurrence that gives rise to the cause of action for wrongful death is the subject of a criminal prosecution commenced within two years by a law enforcement officer, district attorney general, or grand jury.

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1840, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, provide that
prosecution for vehicular homicide

committed on or after July 1, 2026
,

must
commence within 10 years from the date the offense occurs.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2432
By McKenzie

SENATE BILL 1840
By Briggs
SB1840
010633
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 28;
Title 39 and Title 40, relative to statutes of
limitations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 28-3-104, is amended by adding the
following new subdivision (a)(3) and redesignating the current subdivision (a)(3) appropriately:
(3)
(A) Except as provided in subdivision (a)(3)(B), a cause of action for wrongful
death shall be commenced within two (2) years after the cause of action accrued.
(B) A cause of action for wrongful death shall be commenced within three (3)
years after the cause of action accrued, if:
(i) Criminal charges are brought against any person alleged to have
caused or contributed to the death; and
(ii) The conduct, transaction, or occurrence that gives rise to the cause of
action for wrongful death is the subject of a criminal prosecution commenced
within two (2) years by:
(a) A law enforcement officer;
(b) A district attorney general; or
(c) A grand jury.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 28-3-104(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) Except as provided in subdivisions (a)(2) and (a)(3), the following actions
shall be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrued:

- 2 - 010633

(A) Actions for libel, injuries to the person other than wrongful death,
false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, or breach of marriage promise;
(B) Civil actions for compensatory or punitive damages, or both, brought
under the federal civil rights statutes; and
(C) Actions for statutory penalties.
SECTION 3. This act is known and may be cited as "Quinton's Law."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to causes of action accruing on or after that date.