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Committee approves tougher proof-of-insurance and penalties to curb uninsured drivers
Summary
Chairman Hicks' bill would require proof of insurance at initial registration and increase fines for uninsured motorists (sponsor cited higher fines and expanded verification). Supporters said it will reduce uninsured drivers; opponents raised concerns about affordability and potential impact on low-income drivers. The subcommittee advanced the bill 7–2.
Chairman Hicks described a multipart bill to strengthen the vehicle-registration verification system and penalize uninsured motorists more harshly. He told the committee the legislation would require proof of insurance at initial registration and tighten checks on renewals, raise fines (moving the first fine to $500 and the second to $1,000), and modernize the Department of Revenue’s verification processes. Hicks said the change is aimed at reducing Tennessee’s high share of uninsured motorists and that some current fines are so low "that for some, it's cheaper to gamble than to comply."
Representative Pearson and others welcomed efforts to reduce uninsured motorists but questioned whether the bill adequately addresses affordability and access to insurance for low-income drivers. Pearson highlighted that insurance costs vary and said penalties alone may not help people who genuinely cannot afford coverage. Hicks replied that the bill targets accountability and that the Department of Revenue’s verification system and SR-22 processes would be strengthened to improve compliance. The subcommittee voted to advance the measure to full committee by a 7–2 tally.
