Tennessee Senate Bill SB2253

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Engrossed: 3/23/26
• Enrolled: 3/25/26
• Passed: 4/13/26
• Chaptered: 5/4/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 30 and Title 55, Chapter 8, relative to autonomous vehicles.

Summary

SB2253 updates Tennessee traffic enforcement law to address violations involving autonomous vehicles and automated driving systems (ADS). The bill adds a definition cross-reference for “automated driving system” and “ADS-operated vehicle” into the traffic code, tying those terms to existing autonomous vehicle definitions in Title 55, Chapter 30. The bill authorizes state and local law enforcement agencies to adopt policies for handling traffic offenses committed by an ADS. Under those policies, if a POST-certified or state-commissioned officer determines an ADS committed a traffic offense, the agency must mail a notice of violation or citation to the registered owner of the vehicle. The bill sets timing and notice requirements, including mailing within 20 business days, a Tennessee return address, a 30-day payment window, and a second mailed notice before additional penalties or court costs may be imposed for nonpayment. It also allows the owner to pay the fine without contesting the charge, and permits court costs or additional fees if the citation remains unpaid or the ADS is found to have committed the offense after a court appearance.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 55, Chapters 8 and 30, by creating a specific enforcement framework for traffic offenses involving autonomous vehicles. It affects how citations are issued, served, paid, and escalated for ADS-operated vehicles, and it clarifies that notices sent by first-class mail to the registered owner constitute valid service. The measure primarily impacts law enforcement agencies, vehicle owners, and operators of autonomous vehicle technology, while leaving the underlying traffic offense provisions in place.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the Transportation and Safety Committee unanimously and then cleared the House and Senate floor votes overwhelmingly, including a 85-0 regular passage vote and a 27-2 amended vote. The voting pattern suggests general agreement that Tennessee needed a practical enforcement process for autonomous vehicle traffic violations.

Contention

The main policy issue is not whether autonomous vehicles should be regulated, but how citations should be enforced when no human driver is directly operating the vehicle. The bill balances enforcement with procedural protections by requiring mailed notice, a Tennessee return address, and a second notice before extra penalties can be added. Any potential concern would likely center on whether liability should rest with the registered owner, how quickly notices must be sent, and whether the process is fair when an ADS—not a person—commits the violation, but the available record shows no significant recorded opposition.