HOUSE BILL 24
By Hemmer
SENATE BILL 14
By Walley
SB0014
000619
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70,
relative to wildlife resources.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-1-310, is amended by deleting
subsection (c) and substituting:
(c)
(1) This section is not applicable to a person arrested for a violation of:
(A) This title, or an offense for which an arrest is authorized
pursuant to this title, that is punishable by a fine of more than five
hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment for more than thirty (30) days;
or
(B) Title 69, chapter 9, that is punishable by a fine not to exceed
fifty dollars ($50.00) or by imprisonment for more than thirty (30) days.
(2) This section does not supersede § 40-7-118 and does not require the
use of a citation in lieu of continued custody of an arrested person in any of the
circumstances specified in § 40-7-118(d).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-101, is amended by deleting
subsection (e) and substituting:
(e) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor and punishable by a fine
not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500). A person who violates the revocation order of
the court is subject to a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) and must be
confined in the county jail or workhouse for not less than ten (10) days but not more than
- 2 - 000619
eleven (11) months and twenty-nine (29) days. Notwithstanding another law to the
contrary, the minimum sentence of ten (10) days must not be suspended.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-205(e)(1), is amended by
deleting "by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than one thousand dollars
($1,000)" and substituting "by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-213(c), is amended by deleting
"shall be, upon conviction, fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one
hundred dollars ($100)" and substituting "must be, upon conviction, fined not more than five
hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-214(c), is amended by deleting
"shall be punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty
dollars ($50.00)" and substituting "is punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars
($500)".
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-215(d), is amended by deleting
"shall be fined not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00)" and
substituting "must be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-221(e), is amended by deleting
"by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00)" and
substituting "by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-4-106(a), is amended by deleting
subdivision (2) and substituting:
(2) If the wild animal, wild bird, wild fowl, or fish is not removed from the land of
another, then a violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor. If the wild
animal, wild bird, wild fowl, or fish is removed from the land of another, then a violation of
subdivision (a)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor. Upon conviction for a violation of
- 3 - 000619
subdivision (a)(1), the court may revoke the license of the person convicted. A revoked
license must be surrendered to the court and transmitted to the arresting officer, to be
made a part of the prosecution record.
SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-5-112(c), is amended by deleting
"by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00)" and
substituting "by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 10. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-6-101(b)(2), is amended by
deleting "by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty dollars
($50.00)" and substituting "by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500)".
SECTION 11. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-6-102, is amended by deleting
"by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for
each offense" and substituting "by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for each
offense".
SECTION 12. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-6-104, is amended by deleting
subsection (a) and substituting:
(a) When a person is arrested for a violation of the wildlife laws, it is the duty of
the arresting officer to take the person arrested before a court of general sessions for
trial, in the county where the offense was committed. If, before the court of general
sessions, the accused is found guilty of an offense, then the person has the right to
appeal to the circuit or criminal court having jurisdiction of such appeals, upon giving
bond with good security in accordance with § 27-5-103.
SECTION 13. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-6-107(a), is amended by
deleting "by a fine of more than fifty dollars ($50.00)" and substituting "by a fine of more than
five hundred dollars ($500)".
- 4 - 000619
SECTION 14. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to offenses committed on or after that date.