Senate Bill 1667 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to motor vehicle financial responsibility. A significant addition is the new subsection (d) to Section 55-12-211, which stipulates that the Department of Revenue or county clerks cannot process applications for vehicle registration until the owner provides proof of insurance that is valid for at least 30 days. The bill also modifies the fees associated with coverage failures, increasing the coverage failure fee from $25 to $500 and the continued coverage failure fee from $100 to $1,000. Additionally, a new repeated coverage failure fee of $1,500 is introduced for owners who receive multiple notices within three years.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that plaintiffs who are owners or operators of uninsured vehicles cannot recover noneconomic damages in civil actions related to motor vehicle incidents, unless specific conditions are met, such as the defendant being cited for DUI or reckless driving. The bill also allows for the use of electronic displays on highways to remind the public of financial responsibility requirements. The changes outlined in Sections 1 through 8 will take effect on July 1, 2027, while the remaining provisions will take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 55-12-211, 55-12-210(a)(2), 55-12-210, 55-12-210(b)(1)(A), 55-12-210(b)(2), 55-12-210(c)(1), 55-12-207