KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

SB2471 • 2026

Real Property

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 11; Title 29; Title 39; Title 40; Title 44; Title 45; Title 46; Title 59; Title 66; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to real property.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Bailey, Butler
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about what happens to vehicles after they are seized.

Changing Trespass Laws for Motorized Vehicles

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to make trespassing with motorized vehicles or bicycles a more serious crime and increases fines.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the penalty for criminal trespass involving motorized vehicles or bicycles from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor.
  • Increases the fine for such violations to $2,500 and requires restitution for property damage.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit trespassing with motorized vehicles or bicycles in Tennessee will face stricter penalties.

Terms To Know

Class A misdemeanor
A more serious type of crime that can result in a higher fine and longer jail time than other types of misdemeanors.
Restitution
Money paid to someone as compensation for loss, damage, or injury.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the seized vehicles will be handled after forfeiture.
  • It is unclear if there are any exceptions or defenses that can be used against these new penalties.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2284

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's laws about trespassing by adding new ways someone can be considered to have trespassed, including using unmanned aircraft and motorized vehicles, and increasing penalties for such violations.

  • Adds 'enter' to include intrusion of the entire body, use of unmanned aircraft over private property not regulated as navigable airspace, and driving or operating a motorized vehicle or bicycle on someone else's land.
  • Changes criminal trespass involving a motorized vehicle or bicycle from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of $2,500 and an order for restitution. For repeat offenses, the vehicle can be seized and forfeited.
  • Adds violations involving motorized vehicles or bicycles under Tennessee's forfeiture laws.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how unmanned aircraft will be regulated or what constitutes 'navigable airspace'.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2471

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's laws regarding criminal trespass by specifying penalties for using motorized vehicles or bicycles and adding these violations to the list of forfeitable items under state law.

  • Defines 'enter' in relation to criminal trespass to include intrusion by unmanned aircraft, driving a vehicle into private property, and operating various types of motorized vehicles or bicycles on someone else's land.
  • Increases the penalty for using or operating a motorized vehicle or bicycle during a criminal trespass from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of $2,500 and an order for restitution.
  • Adds violations involving the use or operation of motorized vehicles or bicycles to the list of items subject to seizure and forfeiture under Tennessee law.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how seizures and forfeitures will be carried out, leaving some aspects unclear.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6

  4. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0935)

  5. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  6. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  7. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Judiciary Committee on 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  12. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recalled from Senate Commerce & Labor Committee

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final cal. of Calendar & Rules Committee

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026

  15. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/17/2026

  16. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Approved by Delayed Bills Committee

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/4/2026

  23. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  25. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  26. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  29. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  30. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Delayed Bills Committee

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2471, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, include in the offense of criminal trespass intrusion on property, or any portion of property, without the consent of the owner by driving, parking, or otherwise operating a motorized vehicle or bicycle. As us
ed in this amendment, a "motorized vehicle or bicycle" includes all-terrain vehicles, utility task vehicles, side-by-sides, electric bicycles, motorcycles, and motorscooters.

Present law makes criminal trespass a Class C misdemeanor. A Class C misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment of up to 30 days, a fine of up to $50, or both. However, this amendment raises the classification of such offense to a Class A misdemeanor if
the violation involved the use or operation of a motorized vehicle or bicycle. Such a violation is punishable only by a mandatory fine of $2,500, but the sentence must include an order of restitution for all damages to the property resulting from the vi
ol
ation. Further, upon a second or subsequent violation involving the use or operation of a motorized vehicle or bicycle, the motorized vehicle or bicycle is subject to seizure and forfeiture.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2284
By Butler

SENATE BILL 2471
By Bailey
SB2471
012686
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 11;
Title 29; Title 39; Title 40; Title 44; Title 45; Title
46; Title 59; Title 66; Title 68 and Title 70, relative
to real property.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 44-8-106(b), is amended by deleting
"ten (10)" and substituting "ten (10) business".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.