New Tennessee laws: Harsher distracted driving penalties among laws taking effect in 2024

Tennessee state law will soon require car ignition breathalyzers to include GPS technology that will track the car’s location at the time of an alcohol test, thanks to a new law set to take effect on Jan. 1.

All ignition interlock devices, breathalyzers that will prevent users from starting their vehicles after drinking alcohol, must contain the GPS technology if they are installed in or after 2024.

The new law requires the interlock devises to geotag the car’s location during initial startup tests, random retests or if a test is skipped. The GPS is not intended to be used for constant tracking of the vehicle, the law states.

The car breathalyzer law is one of a handful of new laws set to take effect in 2024. The majority of legislation passed by the General Assembly typically goes into effect on July 1, the start of Tennessee’s fiscal year, but some are delayed to the new year.

Gun safety course vouchers

Beginning in January, the Tennessee Department of Safety is tasked with creating a voucher program to reimburse people for the cost of a handgun safety course.

The law, which received bipartisan support, will pay up to $30 per individual who takes an approved handgun safety course.

The new statute also directs licensed federal firearms dealers to display signage advertising the $30 reimbursement. A handgun purchase is not required to receive reimbursement for the safety course.

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Disabled license fees eliminated for some

Another new law taking effect on Jan. 1 will eliminate the disabled license plate fee for parents or guardians of a person confined to a wheelchair.

Tennessee currently provides a free disabled license plate to direct applicants confined to a wheelchair but otherwise charges $26.50 for the relevant plates.

Tennessee Paid Family Leave Insurance Act

The Tennessee Paid Family Leave Insurance Act, signed into law last March, will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The law amends current code to allow insurances companies to offer paid family leave, which employers could then purchase for their employees. The insurance is voluntary, and the new law does not guarantee paid family leave for any Tennesseans.

Sponsors of the legislation argued paid family leave insurance could offset costs for employers.

The law applies to an insurance policy for benefit programs that pay all or some costs related to:

• The birth or adoption of a child by the employee;
• Placement of a child with the employee for foster care;
• Care of a family member of the employee who has a serious health condition; or
• The status of a family member of the employee who is a service member on active duty or who has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty.

Stricter penalties for distracted drivers

A new law will increase penalties for distracted driving, upping the penalty points drivers face if caught using a phone or similar device while driving.

For drivers 18 and younger, a second violation of the law, known as the Eddie Conrad Act, will result in seven points being charged to their driving record.

For adult drivers over 18, the first and second violations of the law will carry a four-point penalty, with a five-point penalty going toward third and subsequent violations.

Per existing state law, juvenile drivers who accumulate six points to their record in 12 months must attend an administrative hearing or risk a suspended license.

Adult drivers must attend a hearing after accumulating 12 points or more.

The new act is named for a Lebanon business owner who died in a 2020 car crash.