House Bill 563 amends Tennessee law regarding the storage of handguns in motor vehicles and introduces new requirements for reporting lost or stolen handguns. A new subsection (k) is added to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1307, making it an offense to store a handgun in a motor vehicle while the owner is not present unless it is kept from ordinary observation and locked in the trunk, glove box, or a secured container. Violations of this provision are classified as Class C misdemeanors, with the only punishment being the completion of a court-approved handgun safety course, without fines or incarceration.

Additionally, the bill modifies Section 39-17-1313(a)(2) to clarify the conditions under which firearms and ammunition must be stored in a motor vehicle. It also establishes a new requirement for handgun owners to report the loss or theft of their firearm to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovery, with violations also classified as Class C misdemeanors punishable solely by a court-approved handgun safety course. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-17-1307, 39-17-1313(a)(2), 39-17-1313