New Tennessee Laws That Took Effect January 1

A new year has just begun, and with it comes new laws for the people of Tennessee. While most laws usually go into effect mid-way through the year on July 1, there are still some that began impacting Tennesseans on Monday (January 1), per News Channel 5.

One of the new laws in effect is known as the Eddie Conrad Act, which increases penalties for distracted driving. If an adult driver is caught driving distracted three times or more in one year, their license can be revoked. It also affects young drivers, with Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) saying during a February 2023 hearing that drivers 18 years old or younger could have their licenses suspended for six months if they are "caught texting and driving" twice in a given year.

Lawmakers passed the bill after Conrad's widow, Jocelyn Conrad, testified in the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee in February 2023 and called for the committee to "stiffen the penalties for distracted driving" after losing "not only my high school sweetheart but my best friend."

The James "Dustin" Samples Act, named for a firefighter from Cleveland whose PTSD from his job led to him die by suicide, creates a grant program to cover costs to an employer that is providing worker's compensation for firefighters who need to take time off and seek help if needed.

"As much as he became a mental health advocate, he struggled to find what he himself needed," Samples' widow, Jennifer Samples, told the House Local Government Committee in February 2023. "And this isn't just Dustin's story, there are firefighters across this state — dads, moms, sons and brothers, who are struggling in silence right now too. My hope in sharing my husband's story is that heroes across this state can find support and know they're not alone in this."

Another law now in effect in the new year is a bill that sees the Department of Safety creating a voucher program to offset costs of a handgun safety course. Though handgun courses are no longer required after Tennessee became a Constitutional carry state, lawmakers see the voucher program as an incentive for gun owners to take the courses.

Lawmakers also passed a bill that aims to help former inmates find a job after leaving prison by providing documents like a photo ID, birth certificate and social security card to soon-to-be-released inmates.

"Employers in Tennessee are struggling to fill jobs and find skilled labor," said Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) in April 2023. "Many people leaving prison check all the boxes for their employers but if they don't have an ID or know their social security number, employers cannot process their hiring paperwork."

Additional laws include Abrial's Law, which provides training for the state court system to detect child abuse and remove victims from domestic violence situations, and a law that allows breathalyzer interlocks place on the steering wheels of repeat DUI offenders to track the GPS movements of the car in order to see if the lock is being tampered with and the car driven when it's not supposed to be.