Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates a Class C misdemeanor offense, punishable by a $50 fine and community service work, for camping along a controlled-access highway or entrance or exit ramp; expands Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012, under which it is a Class E felony offense for a person to camp on property owned by the state knowing that the area on which the camping occurs is not specifically designated for use as a camping area, to apply the offense of unauthorized camping to all public property. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 14; Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3 and Title 55, Chapter 8.
Companion bill has been assigned Public Chapter Number 986 by the Secretary of State.
  • Bill History
  • Amendments
  • Video
  • Summary
  • Fiscal Note
  • Votes
  • Actions For SB1610Date
    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 98605/06/2022
    Companion House Bill substituted04/13/2022
    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/202204/11/2022
    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 004/06/2022
    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/6/202203/30/2022
    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/5/202203/30/2022
    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/30/202203/30/2022
    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/30/202203/29/2022
    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/29/202203/23/2022
    Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee04/13/2021
    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/13/202104/07/2021
    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee02/22/2021
    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration02/11/2021
    Filed for introduction02/11/2021
    Actions For HB0978Date
    Effective date(s) 07/01/202205/06/2022
    Pub. Ch. 98605/06/2022
    Returned by Governor without signature.05/03/2022
    Transmitted to Governor for his action.04/22/2022
    Signed by Senate Speaker04/20/2022
    Signed by H. Speaker04/20/2022
    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.04/19/2022
    H. concurred in S. am. no. 1 Ayes 57, Nays 28 PNV 6 HB097804/18/2022
    H. Placed on Message Calendar 4/18/2204/14/2022
    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 22, Nays 1004/13/2022
    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0892)04/13/2022
    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.04/13/2022
    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration04/15/2021
    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.04/14/2021
    Passed H., Ayes 62, Nays 22, PNV 604/14/2021
    Sponsor(s) Added.04/14/2021
    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/202104/08/2021
    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/8/202104/07/2021
    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee03/31/2021
    Placed on cal. Criminal Justice Committee for 3/31/202103/24/2021
    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Criminal Justice Committee03/24/2021
    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/24/202103/17/2021
    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee02/22/2021
    P2C, ref. to Criminal Justice Committee02/22/2021
    Intro., P1C.02/11/2021
    Filed for introduction02/10/2021
  • AmendmentsFiscal Memos
    SA0892Amendment 1-0 to SB1610Fiscal Memo for SA0892 (14397)  
    No amendments for HB0978.

    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: SB1610

  • Fiscal Summary

    NOT SIGNIFICANT


    Bill Summary

    This bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor offense for a person to:

    (1) Solicit from the roadway, shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a controlled-access highway or entrance or exit ramp of such highway;

    (2) Camp on the shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a state or interstate highway; or

    (3) Camp under a bridge or overpass, or within an underpass, of a state or interstate highway.

    A person will receive a warning citation for a first offense of (1)-(3). A second or subsequent offense will be punishable by either a $50.00 fine and a sentence to 20-40 hours of community service work, or a sentence of 20-40 hours of litter removal.

    The Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012 generally makes it a Class E felony offense for a person to camp on property owned by the state knowing that the area on which the camping occurs is not specifically designated for use as a camping area. An area of state-owned land may be designated as a camping area by the department, agency, official or officials responsible for the operation, protection or maintenance of the property in question by signage, advertisement, or other notice. This bill makes the Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012 applicable to all public property rather than only state-owned property. This bill also extends to local governments and their employees the provisions of the Act concerning impoundment and disposal of camping equipment that is used in violation of the Act.

    ON APRIL 13, 2022, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 978 FOR SENATE BILL 1610, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 978, AS AMENDED.

    AMENDMENT #1 removes this bill's prohibition against soliciting from the roadway, shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a controlled-access highway or entrance or exit ramp of such highway. This amendment also changes this bill's effective date from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2022.

  • FiscalNote for SB1610/HB0978 filed under HB0978

  • House Floor and Committee Votes

    HB0978 by Williams - FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 1 4/18/2022
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................57
              Noes...............................................28
              Present and not voting...................6

              Representatives voting aye were: Alexander, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Doggett, Faison, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Grills, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton, Hicks G, Hicks T, Howell, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Marsh, Martin, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Reedy, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Sherrell, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, White, Williams, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton C -- 57.
              Representatives voting no were: Beck, Campbell S, Camper, Carr, Chism, Clemmons, Freeman, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hulsey, Jernigan, Johnson G, Lynn, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Powell, Shaw, Towns, Warner -- 28.
              Representatives present and not voting were: Eldridge, Lafferty, Sparks, Thompson -- 6.

    HB0978 by Williams - FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/14/2021
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................62
              Noes...............................................22
              Present and not voting...................6

              Representatives voting aye were: Alexander, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Carr, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Gillespie, Grills, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton, Hicks G, Hicks T, Holsclaw, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Reedy, Rudder, Russell, Sherrell, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Warner, White, Whitson, Williams, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton C -- 62.
              Representatives voting no were: Beck, Campbell S, Camper, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hulsey, Johnson G, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Shaw, Towns -- 22.
              Representatives present and not voting were: Gant, Jernigan, Powell, Rudd, Sparks, Thompson -- 6.

              HB0978 by Williams - HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE:
    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2021 4/8/2021
              Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail Rep(s). Camper, Dixie requested to be recorded as voting No

              HB0978 by Williams - HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE:
    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/31/2021
              Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail Rep(s). Beck, Dixie, Lamar requested to be recorded as voting No

              HB0978 by Williams - HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE:
    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Criminal Justice Committee 3/24/2021
              Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail Rep(s). Beck, Hardaway requested to be recorded as voting No

    Senate Floor and Committee Votes

    Senate moved to substitute and conform to HB0978

    HB0978 by Williams - FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/13/2022
    Passed
              Ayes...............................................22
              Noes...............................................10

              Senators voting aye were: Bailey, Bowling, Briggs, Crowe, Gardenhire, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Johnson, Lundberg, Massey, Niceley, Reeves, Roberts, Rose, Stevens, Watson, White, Yager, Mr. Speaker McNally -- 22.
              Senators voting no were: Akbari, Campbell, Kyle, Lamar, Pody, Powers, Swann, Walley, Yarbro -- 10.

    HB0978 by Williams - FLOOR VOTE: Previous Question 4/13/2022
    Failed
              Ayes...............................................14
              Noes...............................................18
              Present and not voting...................1

              Senators voting aye were: Bailey, Bowling, Gardenhire, Lundberg, Niceley, Powers, Rose, Southerland, Stevens, Watson, White, Yager, Mr. Speaker McNally -- 14.
              Senators voting no were: Akbari, Campbell, Crowe, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Johnson, Kyle, Lamar, Massey, Pody, Reeves, Roberts, Swann, Walley, Yarbro -- 18.
              Senators present and not voting were: Briggs -- 1.

    SB1610 by Bailey - SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE:
    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0 4/6/2022
    Passed
              Ayes................................................7
              Noes................................................2

              Senators voting aye were: Gardenhire, Lundberg, Roberts, Rose, Stevens, White -- 7.
              Senators voting no were: Kyle, Lamar -- 2.

    SB1610 by Bailey - SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE:
    Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee 4/13/2021
    Failed
              Ayes................................................1
              Noes................................................6
              Present and not voting...................2

              Senators voting aye were: White -- 1.
              Senators voting no were: Gardenhire, Kyle, Lundberg, Rose, Stevens -- 6.
              Senators present and not voting were: Roberts -- 2.