NASHVILLE, TN. (WLAF)- During the 2025 legislative session, more than 170 new laws were enacted across multiple categories. Today, WLAF shares some of the criminal laws that were enacted and/or revised.
HB0045
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40. As enacted, increases the penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony for a person who commits child abuse by knowingly treating a child between 9 and 17 in such a manner as to inflict injury.
HB0216
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 66. As enacted, creates a legal process through which a person may request the immediate removal of an unlawful occupant of the person’s commercial real property by filing a complaint with the sheriff for the county in which the property is located.
HB0487
Effective date(s) 01/01/2026
Amends TCA Title 8; Title 18; Title 55 and Title 67. As introduced, increases, from $100 to $125, the fee for cross- filings and counter complaints in civil cases in courts of record.
HB0578
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13. As introduced, adds certain criminal offenses to the list of dangerous felonies for purposes of the offense of possessing a firearm or antique firearm during commission or attempt to commit a dangerous felony.
HB0749
Effective date(s) 04/24/2025, 01/01/2026
Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50. As enacted, creates the Class B misdemeanor offense of operating a motor vehicle in this state with an invalid driver license; designates out-of- state driver licenses issued exclusively to illegal aliens as invalid driver licenses in this state.
HB0973
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 28 and Title 40, Chapter 2. As enacted, extends the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of certain child sexual abuse felonies from 25 years from the child’s 18th birthday to 30 years from the child’s 18th birthday; extends the statute of limitations for a civil action based on child sexual abuse from 15 years from the child’s 18th birthday to 30 years from the child’s 18th birthday.
HB1025
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 37; Title 39 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7. As enacted, requires suspension of a minor’s driving privileges or ability to obtain a driver license for a period of one year as part of the disposition if a minor is adjudicated delinquent for an act that would constitute the offense of harassment by bullying or cyber-bullying.
HB1089
Effective date(s) 05/21/2025, 01/01/2026
Amends TCA Title 33; Title 39 and Title 40. As introduced, requires the punishment for the offense of cruelty to animals to include at least 40 hours of community service work to be determined by the court, in addition to any other punishment authorized by law.
HB1200
Effective date(s) 01/01/2026
Amends TCA Title 18; Section 38-6-103; Title 39 and Title 40. As introduced, enacts “Savanna’s Law,” which creates a registry of persistent domestic violence offenders; requires the bureau to maintain the registry.
HB1314
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3. As introduced, creates the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence; creates the criminal offense of posting on a publicly accessible website the telephone number or home address of an individual with the intent to cause harm or a threat of harm to the individual or a member of the individual’s family or household.
SB0028
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 39. As enacted, expands the criminal offense of harassment to include harassment that occurs by communicating in the physical presence of the victim, in addition to in writing, by telephone, or electronically.
SB0433
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2. As enacted, prohibits the abandonment of an animal in a person’s custody and provides that it is not a defense to prosecution that the person abandoned the animal at or near an animal shelter, veterinary clinic, or other place of shelter if the person did not make reasonable arrangements for the care of the animal.
SB0769
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 55 and Title 62. As introduced, increases the penalty for the offense of possession of a used, detached catalytic converter by an unauthorized person from a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by fine to a Class E felony.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 6/24/2025-6AM)