House Bill 359, sponsored by Lamberth, amends Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 55-50-301, to introduce new penalties for violations related to driving offenses. The bill establishes that a first violation of subdivision (a)(1) will be classified as a Class B misdemeanor, while a second or subsequent violation will escalate to a Class A misdemeanor. Notably, any convictions that occurred more than ten years prior to the current violation will not be considered for the purpose of enhancing penalties for repeat offenses.

The new legal language specifies that these changes will not apply to violations of Section 55-50-351. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to offenses committed on or after that date, thereby providing a clear timeline for the implementation of these new driving offense classifications.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 55-50-301