SB 957 - HB 1082
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 26, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Arielle Woodmore | Email: arielle.woodmore@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 957 - HB 1082
SUMMARY OF BILL: Creates a Class E felony offense to intentionally or knowingly
possess, manufacture, transport, repair, or sell a switch or auto sear device designed, made, or
intended for use in converting a weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual
reloading, by a single function or pull of the trigger.
Provides an exception for acquiring or possessing such a weapon if the person is in full compliance
with the National Firearms Act.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to the National Firearms Act and Rule 81-4 of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), auto sear devices are highly regulated in the same manner
as machine guns. Possession is illegal unless the possessor obtains specific federal clearance.
• However, they are widely available online, as well as blueprints for 3D printing technology
to create auto sears.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1302(a)(2)-(3), non-exempt possession,
manufacturing, transporting, repairing, or selling of a device principally designed, made or
adapted for delivering or shooting an explosive weapon and machine guns is a Class E
felony offense.
• Based upon information provided by the Department of Correction (DOC), there has been
an average of 0.10 admissions per year over the last 10 years for the Class E felony offense
under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1302(a)(2)-(3).
• There will not be a sufficient change in the number of prosecutions for state or local
government to experience any significant change in revenue or expenditures.
• Based on the Fiscal Review Committee’s 2008 study and the Administrative Office of the
Courts’ 2012 study on collection of court costs, fees, and fines, collection in criminal cases
is minimal due to defendants often not being able to pay them; therefore, any increase in
state or local revenue from fines is estimated to be not significant.
• The estimated fiscal impact of the proposed legislation does not consider the availability of
beds in state and local facilities, but is based solely on the current operating costs of state
facilities and the reimbursement rates for local facilities as is required by Tenn. Code Ann. §
9-4-210.
• Any impact on state or local sales tax collections is estimated to be not significant.
SB 957 - HB 1082 2
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director