Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - As enacted, enacts the "Law Enforcement’s Safer Tennessee Electronic Registration (LESTER) Act," which clarifies that law enforcement is required to accept a digital copy of vehicle registration as proof of registration. - Amends TCA Title 38 and Title 55.
SB0228 has been assigned Public Chapter Number 157 by the Secretary of State.
  • Bill History
  • Amendments
  • Video
  • Summary
  • Fiscal Note
  • Votes
  • Actions For SB0228Date
    Effective date(s) 07/01/202505/02/2025
    Pub. Ch. 15705/02/2025
    Signed by Governor.04/11/2025
    Transmitted to Governor for action.04/03/2025
    Signed by H. Speaker04/02/2025
    Signed by Senate Speaker04/02/2025
    Enrolled and ready for signatures04/01/2025
    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 003/31/2025
    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0159)03/31/2025
    Subst. for comp. HB.03/31/2025
    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.02/27/2025
    Sponsor(s) Added.02/24/2025
    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House02/24/2025
    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 102/24/2025
    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0001)02/24/2025
    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/24/202502/20/2025
    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 002/19/2025
    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/19/202502/12/2025
    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee02/10/2025
    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration01/27/2025
    Filed for introduction01/17/2025
    Actions For HB0537Date
    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 15705/02/2025
    Sponsor(s) Added.03/31/2025
    Comp. SB subst.03/31/2025
    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/31/202503/27/2025
    Sponsor(s) Added.03/27/2025
    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/202503/26/2025
    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee03/25/2025
    Sponsor(s) Added pur. Rule 5203/24/2025
    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/25/202503/19/2025
    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee03/18/2025
    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/18/202503/12/2025
    Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to 3/18/202503/11/2025
    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/11/202503/05/2025
    Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to 3/11/202503/04/2025
    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/4/202502/26/2025
    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee02/05/2025
    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee02/05/2025
    Intro., P1C.02/03/2025
    Filed for introduction01/29/2025
  • AmendmentsFiscal Memos
    SA0001Amendment 1-0 to SB0228Fiscal Memo for SA0001 (3706)  
    AmendmentsFiscal Memos
    HA0159Amendment 1-0 to HB0537Fiscal Memo for HA0159 (3706)  

    NOTE: Each fiscal memorandum applies only to the amendment(s) identified in the memorandum. The fiscal memorandum must be matched to any amendments that have been adopted.

  • Videos containing keyword: SB0228

  • Fiscal Summary

    NOT SIGNIFICANT


    Bill Summary

     

     

          ON FEBRUARY 24, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 228, AS AMENDED.

     

          AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, provide that the "Law Enforcement's Safer Tennessee Electronic Registration (LESTER) Act," enacted by the bill, requires the following:

     

          If a person displays the evidence of financial responsibility in an electronic format, then the evidence must be accepted by law enforcement as proof of registration, unless (i) the image is not clear enough for the officer to determine the information or (ii) the officer believes the image or the information contained in the image is fraudulent or inaccurate.  An officer may require additional information to verify the validity of the electronic registration.  However, if the officer cannot verify the validity of the electronic registration, then the officer is not required to accept the electronic registration.

     

          Expands the provision in present law that requires proof of registration of a motor-propelled vehicle in the name of a person to be prima facie evidence of ownership of the vehicle by the person in whose name the vehicle is registered and the proof of registration is likewise prima facie evidence that the vehicle was then and there being operated by the owner or by the owner's servant for the owner's use and benefit and within the course and scope of the servant's employment by, instead, applying such provision to a "motor vehicle" rather than a "motor propelled vehicle".

     

     

  • FiscalNote for SB0228/HB0537 filed under SB0228

  • House Floor and Committee Votes

    House moved to substitute and conform to SB0228

    SB0228 by Taylor - FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/31/2025
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................94
              Noes................................................0

              Representatives voting aye were: Alexander, Atchley, Barrett, Baum, Behn, Boyd, Bricken, Brooks, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Camper, Capley, Carringer, Cepicky, Chism, Clemmons, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Dixie, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Freeman, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Glynn, Grills, Hakeem, Hale, Hardaway, Harris, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hemmer, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson, Jones R, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Love, Lynn, Maberry, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Moon, Parkinson, Powell, Powers, Raper, Reedy, Reeves, Reneau, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Salinas, Scarbrough, Shaw, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Stinnett, Terry, Todd, Towns, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton -- 94.

              HB0537 by Camper - HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE:
    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/31/2025 3/27/2025
              Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail

    HB0537 by Camper - HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE:
    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/25/2025
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................19
              Noes................................................0

              Representatives voting aye were: Atchley, Behn, Butler, Davis, Glynn, Harris, Hawk, Howell, Marsh, McCalmon, Reneau, Rudd, Russell, Sherrell, Stevens, Todd, Towns, Vital, Wright -- 19.

    HB0537 by Camper - HOUSE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE:
    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee 3/18/2025
    Passed
              Ayes................................................9
              Noes................................................0

              Representatives voting aye were: Atchley, Behn, Butler, Hawk, Howell, McCalmon, Reneau, Russell, Wright -- 9.

    Senate Floor and Committee Votes

    SB0228 by Taylor - FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 2/24/2025
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................32
              Noes................................................1

              Senators voting aye were: Akbari, Bailey, Bowling, Briggs, Campbell, Crowe, Gardenhire, Haile, Harshbarger, Hatcher, Jackson, Johnson, Kyle, Lamar, Lowe, Massey, Oliver, Pody, Powers, Reeves, Roberts, Rose, Seal, Southerland, Stevens, Taylor, Walley, Watson, White, Yager, Yarbro, Mr. Speaker McNally -- 32.
              Senators voting no were: Hensley -- 1.

    SB0228 by Taylor - TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY COMMITTEE:
    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0 2/19/2025
    Passed
              Ayes................................................9
              Noes................................................0

              Senators voting aye were: Bailey, Briggs, Campbell, Hatcher, Massey, Pody, Powers, Seal, Taylor -- 9.