Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the offense of intentionally impeding or obstructing a member of the division of protective services from ingress to, egress from, or movement about a location where the member is responsible for a person protected by the division of protective services; creates the offense of intentionally refusing to vacate an area where access has been restricted by a member of the division of protective services for the purpose of maintaining the safety or security of the person being protected. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 39.
HB 120 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee: intentionally obstructing officers from entering, leaving, or moving within areas where they protect vulnerable individuals, and refusing to vacate restricted zones when ordered for safety. It directly affects anyone who interferes with the Division of Protective Services (including highway patrol and law enforcement officers) while they are safeguarding people under their protection. Violating these provisions is a Class A misdemeanor, but becomes a Class E felony if the person posed a threat to the protected individual. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all locations where protective services are actively engaged.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025
Signed Mar 28, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 13, 2025 · House Mar 10, 2025
How they voted
30–6
Passed
Total votes 36
Mar 13, 2025
D
Democratic7
85% Nay
R
Republican29
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
30
Key actions
15
Committee
13
Mar 28, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, Ayes 25, Nays 6
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., Ayes 73, Nays 20, PNV 0
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/4/2025
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 2/26/2025
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/19/2025
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/12/2025
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Ref. to Judiciary Committee
lower
Jan 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
William Lamberth
RRepublican
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