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SB2596 • 2026

Traffic Safety

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-185, relative to utility terrain vehicles.

Agriculture
Active

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

Sponsor
Southerland, Hale
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Effective date(s) 04/01/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims that were speculative or not directly supported by the official bill summary.

Utility Terrain Vehicle Speed Rules for Agriculture

This bill changes Tennessee's traffic laws to exempt utility terrain vehicles used for farming from the speed limit restriction of 45 mph on certain state highways and county roads.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempts utility terrain vehicles being operated for agricultural purposes from the speed limit restriction of 45 mph or less on certain state highways and county roads.
  • Defines a 'utility terrain vehicle' to include low speed vehicles, medium speed vehicles, Class I off-highway vehicles, Class II off-highway vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Farmers who use utility terrain vehicles for their work.
  • People driving on state highways and county roads where these vehicles are now exempt from the 45 mph speed limit restriction when used for agriculture.

Terms To Know

Utility Terrain Vehicle
A type of vehicle that can be used for farming or other tasks, including low speed vehicles, medium speed vehicles, Class I off-highway vehicles, Class II off-highway vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not change the rules about where utility terrain vehicles are allowed to drive.
  • It only changes the speed limit for these vehicles when they are used for agriculture.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/01/2026

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 663

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 663

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/16/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  18. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  19. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/9/2026

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/10/2026

  24. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  30. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  31. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes

a
utility terrain vehicle
to
be operated on any state highway where the speed limit is 45 mph or less or any county road in the state,
if

the following criteria is met:



The highway or road is
not
a
part of the interstate and national defense highway system
.


The highway or road is
not
a
controlled access highway
.


Such operation is not

p
rohibited by a county or municipality on
a
road under its jurisdiction
as
necessary in the interest of safety
.


Such operation is not p
rohibited by the department of transportation on
a
road under its jurisdiction
as
necessary in the interest of safety.

This bill provides that
the speed limit restriction of 45 mph or less for state highways and county roads
as described above
does not apply to a utility terrain vehicle being operated for agricultural purposes
. As used in this bill, a "utility terrain vehicle
means
a
low speed vehicle
, a
medium speed vehicle
, a
Class I off-highway vehicle
, a
Class II off-highway vehicle
, or a
n all-terrain vehicle.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 2267
By Hale

SENATE BILL 2596
By Southerland
SB2596
012484
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
55-8-185, relative to utility terrain vehicles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-185(c)(1), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (c)(1)(A) and adding the following as a new
subdivision (B):
(B) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1)(A), the speed limit restriction of forty-five
miles per hour (45 mph) or less for state highways and county roads does not apply to a
utility terrain vehicle being operated for agricultural purposes; provided, that the
restrictions described in subdivisions (c)(1)(A)(i)-(iv) continue to apply.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.