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Committee raises court-cost cap for hands-free violations in amended bill
Summary
An amendment to Senate Bill 15-91 would raise the $10 court-cost cap tied to hands-free law violations to 50% of routine costs for similar moving violations, increasing local and state revenue and, sponsors say, deterrence; the committee approved the amendment and passed the bill to Finance.
Speaker Hill described an amendment to SB 15-91 that addresses enforcement of Tennessee's hands-free law. He said the hands-free law produces about 12,000 convictions annually and that the statutory court-cost cap of $10 does not cover local costs; the amendment raises the cap to 50% of routine moving-violation costs (estimated locally at $75–$100), increasing the penalty impact and local revenue.
Senator Campbell and others supported the amendment as a practical fix to a penalty structure that was set when $50 had greater purchasing power. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote and subsequently voted the bill, as amended, out of committee to Finance, Ways and Means. "Appreciate a positive vote," Speaker Hill said during closing remarks.
