Tennessee House Bill HB0425

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/25
• Refer: 2/5/25
• Refer: 3/4/25
• Refer: 3/11/25
• Engrossed: 3/18/25
• Enrolled: 3/25/25
• Passed: 4/3/25
• Chaptered: 4/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to driver licenses.

Summary

HB0425 amends Tennessee’s driver license laws by removing the requirement that a driver license be surrendered or otherwise handled “within ten (10) days after it is issued” under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-703. The bill is narrowly drafted and appears to make a timing-related cleanup change to the driver license provisions in Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7. Because the bill deletes a specific deadline from the statute, it changes the procedural requirements tied to driver licenses without creating a new program, fee, or penalty in the text provided. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting the legislature’s view that the change should be implemented without delay.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-703, by striking the phrase “within ten (10) days after it is issued.” This alters the timing language in the state’s driver license statutes and may affect how the Department of Safety and other enforcement or licensing officials interpret compliance deadlines related to license issuance or surrender. The bill does not otherwise revise penalties, eligibility, or licensing standards in the text provided.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly supported. It advanced unanimously through the House Transportation Subcommittee and House Transportation Committee, then passed the House on consent calendar with no recorded opposition. The final House action also shows unanimous approval on the motion to adopt, suggesting general agreement that the change was technical or administrative in nature.

Contention

There is no recorded substantive contention in the available materials. No committee transcript is provided, and every recorded vote was unanimous. Based on the bill text, any potential issue would likely have centered on the practical effect of removing the ten-day deadline from driver license procedures, but no member opposition or debate is documented in the supplied context.