Tennessee 28th District Capitol Hill Week in Review

2023 Session of the 113th General Assembly

The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session.

Transportation Modernization Act - The General Assembly passed major legislation to modernize Tennessee’s infrastructure and address traffic congestion, prolonged project delivery timelines, and the deteriorating revenue stream for road funding. The Transportation Modernization Act of 2023 was one of Governor Lee’s key legislative proposals this year and seeks to address a $26 billion backlog of congestion-related needs. This major legislation issues no new taxes, no road debt and ensures that funds are proportionally allocated to urban and rural areas of the state.

Choice Lanes - The legislation would allow the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to form partnerships with private entities to create choice lanes to address congestion. Choice Lanes allow drivers to make a choice to use the existing free lanes or pay a user fee to enter the new additional lanes for a guaranteed minimum speed. No fee would be charged to use the general-purpose lanes and the number of general-purpose lanes would not be reduced. Choice Lanes provide additional capacity in heavily congested corridors, benefiting those who use the Choice Lanes as well as those who decide to remain in the general-purpose lanes. Data from other states has shown Choice Lanes reduce traffic in the free, general purpose lanes by 30%.

Transportation Modernization Fund - This bill establishes the Transportation Modernization Fund and invests $3.3 billion to fund critical infrastructure projects in rural and urban areas of Tennessee. Each of TDOT’s four regions would receive $750,000,000, while the State Aid Program, which provides funds to counties for local transportation projects, would receive $300 million. At the current rate of investment of $29 million per year, it would take 15 years to allocate $300 million to the State Aid Program.

Alternative Delivery Model - The legislation expands TDOT’s ability to use alternative delivery contracting, which has been proven to save time and money when used for the right projects. The move would put TDOT in a strong position to optimize the delivery of increasingly complex infrastructure solutions. TDOT’s alternative delivery program has saved $22 million in costs and resulted in 70% faster delivery compared to the traditional delivery model.

Electric Vehicle Parity - Additionally, the legislation addresses the erosion of the state’s gas tax collection by the growing use of electric vehicles (EVs). It establishes parity between what the drivers of combustible engine vehicles and their EV and hybrid counterparts pay in gas taxes by increasing the registration fee for EVs to $200 for the first three years following passage and $274 by 2026. For hybrid vehicles, a $100 fee would be set immediately following passage.

Sergeant Chris Jenkins Law - A new law makes it a crime for a person to transport a ladder not properly secured to prevent it from falling onto a public roadway. A violation of the law results in a Class C misdemeanor and an improperly secured ladder that caused a motor vehicle accident results in a Class A misdemeanor. It does not change any additional requirements that currently exist for commercial motor vehicles. The legislation is named after Sgt. Chris Jenkins who was fatally struck by a semi-truck while removing a ladder from Interstate 75.

Jabari Bailey Highway Safety Act - This new law requires citizens to move over for any stopped vehicle whose hazard lights are on, building on existing law that requires citizens to move over for a stopped emergency vehicle. The bill is named after Jabari Bailey of Memphis who lost his leg in a life-altering accident after stopping to help a car on the side of the road.

New rules for license plates - The General Assembly passed a law that eliminates the license plate fee for parents or guardians of people who are permanently confined to a wheelchair and who do not own or operate a vehicle. The law also discontinues honorary consular cultural license plates as they can mislead law enforcement into thinking the driver has diplomatic immunity.

Adding “In God We Trust” to all license plates – The General Assembly passed the omnibus license plate legislation which will add “In God We Trust” to all license plates in Tennessee. The legislation offers an opt-out option to Tennesseans who do not wish to have the phrase on their license plate.

Emergency personnel license plates - This new law allows emergency communication dispatchers to be eligible for emergency personnel license plates so they can access call centers in a timely fashion during emergencies.

Creating a new class of driver’s license for motor scooters - Under a new law, a Class M-Limited license, a new class of driver’s license for motor scooters, may be issued for all lower-speed and lower-weight motor scooters, including mopeds, but not for larger motorcycles. The bill does not apply to Bird or Lime scooters found in many cities. Motor scooters are a reliable and affordable transportation option for commuting to work and school, and the bill maintains current safety and licensing safeguards. The Department of Safety may develop knowledge and skills tests that are suitable for the Class M-Limited license and for the operation of motor scooters.

Removing a restriction for minors learning to ride motorcycles - A new law makes it easier for minors to learn how to ride motorcycles. This law removes the restriction of minors who have been issued a motorcycle learner’s permit from driving beyond 20 miles of their home if the minor is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is also operating a motorcycle and who holds a valid motorcycle license. The bill also requires the completion of a certified motorcycle education course.

Ensuring safer intersections for Tennesseans - A new law will require the Department of Transportation to standardize, by speed limit, the length of time a traffic-control signal must display the yellow signal light when following the green signal light. Also, the law establishes a one-second delay between the exposure of a red or “Stop” signal light and the display of a green or “Go” signal light for another traffic signal located in the same intersection.

Improving visibility of vehicles with large loads - This law aims to improve the safety of roadways. It requires vehicles carrying logs or wood that protrude more than four feet from the back of the vehicle to carry a specific type of blinking light and at least two red flags so the cargo is easily visible to other motorists.

Increasing penalties for teens distracted driving - To enhance safety on Tennessee roads, the General Assembly passed a law that increases penalties for distracted driving. The law states that persons 18 years of age or younger caught texting while driving two times in a year will have their driver’s license suspended for six months. Those older than 18 years of age caught texting while driving three times in a year will also have their license suspended. Each year, the number of distracted driving offenses increases in Tennessee.

Keeping dangerous drivers off the road – A new law ensures motorists who have had their driver licenses revoked in another state cannot drive in Tennessee and vice versa.

Helping veterans obtain CDL - This law will help address the truck driver shortage by making it easier for qualified veterans to receive a commercial learner’s permit. The Department of Safety will be required to waive the knowledge test to obtain a temporary permit for applicants who provide documentation showing relevant military experience and a clean driving record. This legislation helps veterans find employment after their service. Any applicant who received a knowledge test waiver would still be required to complete any applicable vision and skills test and pay the appropriate fees.

Contact Senator Hensley at

425 5th Avenue North, Suite 746

Nashville TN 37243

615-741-3100

Toll Free 1-800-449-8366

ext. 13100

Fax 615-253-0231

855 Summertown Highway

Hohenwald TN 38462

Phone 931-796-2018

Cell Phone 931-212-8823

E-mail: