Tennessee Senate Bill SB1075

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Chaptered: 5/27/25
• Passed: 5/27/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to firearms.

Summary

SB1075 amends Tennessee’s criminal code and sentencing statutes to strengthen penalties for certain firearm-related offenses, especially aggravated assault involving a firearm fired from a motor vehicle. The bill revises the statutory definition of “machine gun” to include firearms that fire more than two shots automatically with a single trigger function, and it updates several related firearms provisions in Title 39. It also makes technical changes to provisions governing offenses involving firearms, handgun ammunition, and probation eligibility. The most significant policy change is in sentencing and release eligibility. The bill narrows probation eligibility for defendants sentenced to 10 years or less by excluding a list of serious offenses, and it revises release-eligibility rules for aggravated assault. For aggravated assault involving a firearm fired from a motor vehicle committed on or after July 1, 2025, the bill eliminates release eligibility entirely and requires service of 100% of the sentence, while still allowing credits to be used for privileges or classification purposes rather than sentence reduction.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 39 and 40, affecting firearms definitions, criminal offenses, probation eligibility, and sentence release eligibility. It specifically changes the definition of machine gun, adjusts cross-references in firearms-related statutes, and imposes stricter sentencing consequences for aggravated assault involving a firearm from a motor vehicle. The practical effect is to increase punishment severity and limit early release options for certain violent firearm offenses, while leaving other sentence-credit mechanisms intact for non-release purposes.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill was generally supported in committee, with strong majorities advancing it through the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee. The lack of recorded transcript discussion limits insight into detailed debate, but the committee votes indicate broad institutional support for the bill’s tougher stance on firearm violence and sentencing. The bill ultimately became Public Chapter No. 513, indicating final enactment and gubernatorial approval.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the bill’s stricter treatment of firearm-related offenses, particularly the mandatory 100% service requirement for aggravated assault involving a firearm fired from a motor vehicle. Such provisions typically raise concerns about sentencing severity, reduced judicial discretion, and limits on release eligibility. The lone dissent in the Senate Judiciary Committee suggests at least some concern about the breadth or harshness of the changes, though the overall committee support indicates those objections did not prevent passage.