Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0442 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1		-	• ')HJ:
2		-	: _;tr:1:
3		-	,.>.
4		-	~tate of \!tennessee
5		-	PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 143
6		-	HOUSE BILL NO. 442
7		-	By Representatives Hulsey, Carringer
8		-	Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 620
9		-	By Senator Harshbarger
10		-	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-301 and Title 55, relative
11		-	to antique emergency vehicles.
	1	+
	2	+	SENATE BILL 620
	3	+	By Harshbarger
	4	+
	5	+	HOUSE BILL 442
	6	+	By Hulsey
	7	+
	8	+
	9	+	HB0442
	10	+	000040
	11	+	- 1 -
	12	+
	13	+	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
	14	+	39-16-301 and Title 55, relative to antique
	15	+	emergency vehicles.
	16	+
12	17		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
13	18		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-111(b), is amended by adding
14	19		the following as a new subdivision:
15	20		(6) Notwithstanding subdivision (b)(1), if the antique motor vehicle is an antique
16	21		emergency vehicle, then the vehicle may also be used for participation in, or
17	22		transportation to and from, community or educational events, including displays at fairs,
18	23		festivals, and schools. For purposes of this subdivision (b)(6), "antique emergency
19	24		vehicle" means an ambulance, fire department vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle that
20	25		meets the criteria of an antique motor vehicle.
21	26		SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-9-402, is amended by adding the
22	27		following as a new subsection (h) and redesignating the existing subsection accordingly:
23	28		(1) The prohibitions in subdivision (b)(1) and subsection (d) regarding the
24	29		installation of emergency flashing lights do not apply to a privately owned antique
25	30		emergency vehicle registered under § 55-4-111; provided, that the lights are
26	31		representative of the era when the antique emergency vehicle was manufactured.
27	32		(2) A person shall not operate or illuminate red, white, or blue lights, in any
28	33		combination, that are steady-burning or flashing and installed on an antique emergency
29	34		vehicle except in accordance with this subsection (h).
30	35		(3) A person may operate or illuminate red, white, or blue lights, in any
31		-	combination, that are steady-burning or flashing and _installed on an antique emergency
	36	+	combination, that are steady-burning or flashing and installed on an antique emergency
	37	+
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	39	+	- 2 - 000040
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32	41		vehicle if the lights are representative of the era when the antique emergency vehicle
33	42		was manufactured and:
34	43		(A) The person has been authorized to do so in writing by the chief of the
35	44		local law enforcement agency or fire department, as applicable to the type of
36	45		antique emergency vehicle being operated in the jurisdiction;
37	46		(B) The person maintains a copy of the written authorization in their
38	47		possession and provides it to a law enforcement officer upon request; and
39	48		(C)
40	49		(i) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is
41	50		stationary and on public property at a community or educational event,
42	51		including while the vehicle is being used as a display at a fair, festival, or
43	52		school;
44	53		(ii) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is on a
45	54		public road, in motion or stationary, when the vehicle is being used as
46		-	part of an organized parade, procession, or other ceremonial event; or ~~HB442~~
	55	+	part of an organized parade, procession, or other ceremonial event; or
47	56		(iii) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is on
48	57		private property, in motion or stationary, and the person has permission
49	58		from the property owner to operate or illuminate the lights.
50		-	(4) For purposes of this subsection (h}, "antique emergency vehicle" means an
	59	+	(4) For purposes of this subsection (h), "antique emergency vehicle" means an
51	60		ambulance, fire department vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle that meets the criteria of
52	61		an antique motor vehicle, as defined in § 55-4-111(b).
53	62		SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-9-201, is amended by adding the
54	63		following as a new subsection (e) and redesignating the existing subsection accordingly:
55	64		(1) The prohibition in subsection (a) does not apply to a privately owned antique
56	65		emergency vehicle registered under § 55-4-111; provided, that any equipped bell, siren,
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	68	+	- 3 - 000040
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57	70		or exhaust whistle is representative of the era when the antique emergency vehicle was
58	71		manufactured.
59	72		(2) A person shall not operate a bell, siren, or exhaust whistle installed on a
60	73		privately owned antique emergency vehicle except in accordance with this subsection
61	74		(e).
62	75		(3) A person may operate a bell, siren, or exhaust whistle installed on an antique
63	76		emergency vehicle if the bell, siren, or exhaust whistle is representative of the era when
64	77		the antique emergency vehicle was manufactured and:
65	78		(A) The person has been authorized to do so in writing by the chief of the
66	79		local law enforcement agency or fire department, as applicable to the type of
67	80		antique emergency vehicle being operated in the jurisdiction;
68		-	(8) The person maintains a copy of the written authorization in their
	81	+	(B) The person maintains a copy of the written authorization in their
69	82		possession and provides it to a law enforcement officer upon request; and
70	83		(C)
71	84		(i) The bell, siren, or exhaust whistle is operated while the vehicle
72	85		is stationary and on public property at a community or educational event,
73	86		including while the vehicle is being used as a display at a fair, festival, or
74	87		school;
75	88		(ii) The bell, siren, or exhaust whistle is operated while the vehicle
76	89		is on a public road, in motion or stationary, when the vehicle is being used
77	90		as part of an organized parade, procession, or other ceremonial event; or
78		-	(iii) The bell, siren, or exhaust whistle is operated while the ~~vehicle~~
79		-	is on private property, in motion or stationary, and the person has
	91	+	(iii) The bell, siren, or exhaust whistle is operated while the
	92	+	vehicle is on private property, in motion or stationary, and the person has
80	93		permission from the property owner to operate the bell, siren, or exhaust
81	94		whistle.
	95	+
	96	+
	97	+	- 4 - 000040
	98	+
82	99		(4) For purposes of this subsection (e), "antique emergency vehicle" means an
83	100		ambulance, fire department vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle that meets the criteria of
84	101		an antique motor vehicle, as defined in § 55-4-111(b).
85	102		SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-9-414, is amended by adding the
86	103		following as a new subsection (g):
87	104		(1) The prohibition in subsection (a) regarding the installation or maintenance of
88	105		blue flashing emergency lights or blue flashing emergency lights in combination with red
89	106		flashing emergency lights does not apply to a privately owned antique emergency
90	107		vehicle registered under § 55-4-111; provided, that the lights are representative of the
91	108		era when the antique emergency vehicle was manufactured.
92		-	(2) A person shall not operate or illuminate blue flashing emergency lights or ~~blue~~
93		-	flashing emergency lights in combination with red flashing emergency lights that are
	109	+	(2) A person shall not operate or illuminate blue flashing emergency lights or
	110	+	blue flashing emergency lights in combination with red flashing emergency lights that are
94	111		installed on a privately owned antique emergency vehicle except in accordance with this
95	112		subsection (g).
96		-	2 HB442
97	113		(3) A person may operate or illuminate blue flashing emergency lights or blue
98	114		flashing emergency lights in combination with red flashing emergency lights that are
99	115		installed on an antique emergency vehicle if the lights are representative of the era when
100	116		the antique emergency vehicle was manufactured and:
101	117		(A) The person has been authorized to do so in writing by the chief of the
102	118		local law enforcement agency where the vehicle is being operated;
103		-	(8) The person maintains a copy of the written authorization in their
	119	+	(B) The person maintains a copy of the written authorization in their
104	120		possession and provides it to a law enforcement officer upon request; and
105	121		(C)
106	122		(i) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is
107	123		stationary and on public property at a community or educational event,
	124	+
	125	+
	126	+	- 5 - 000040
	127	+
108	128		including while the vehicle is being used as a display at a fair, festival, or
109	129		school;
110	130		(ii) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is on a
111	131		public road, in motion or stationary, when the vehicle is being used as
112	132		part of an organized parade, procession, or other ceremonial event; or
113	133		(iii) The lights are operated or illuminated while the vehicle is on
114	134		private property, in motion or stationary, and the person has permission
115	135		from the property owner to operate or illuminate the lights.
116		-	(4) For purposes of this subsection (g), "antique emergency vehicle" means a ~~law~~
117		-	enforcement vehicle that meets the criteria of an antique motor vehicle, as defined in §
118		-	55-4-111 (b).
	136	+	(4) For purposes of this subsection (g), "antique emergency vehicle" means a
	137	+	law enforcement vehicle that meets the criteria of an antique motor vehicle, as defined in
	138	+	§ 55-4-111(b).
119	139		SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-16-301(b), is amended by
120	140		redesignating the existing language as subdivision (1) and adding the following as a new
121	141		subdivision (2):
122	142		A person does not commit criminal impersonation under this subsection (b) solely
123	143		for operating an antique emergency vehicle in accordance with § 55-4-111(b) and § 55-
124		-	9-201 (e), § 55-9-402(h), or§ 55-9-414(9).
	144	+	9-201(e), § 55-9-402(h), or § 55-9-414(g).
125	145		SECTION 6. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.
126		-	3 HOUSE BILL NO. 442
127		-	PASSED: March 24, 2025
128		-	n,
129		-	c:::7~-r:-
130		-	CAMERONSEXTON,SPEAKER
131		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
132		-	~ •• ""·~ l.&.-~1..a.
133		-	' RAND¥ __________ _ -Alvl
134		-	SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
135		-	APPROVED this ~ day of April 2025
136		-	l?,i,t U.,,.
137		-	BILL LEE, GOVERNOR