HB 938 Tennessee House · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Licenses - As enacted, creates a bait privilege license to allow hunting or taking of whitetail deer using bait on privately owned or privately leased land. - Amends TCA Title 70.

HB 938 creates a new "bait privilege license" allowing hunters to use bait for whitetail deer or wild swine on privately owned or leased land in Tennessee. This license is required in addition to a standard hunting license, and even hunters otherwise exempt from regular licenses must obtain it. The law prohibits baiting on public land or for other wildlife, and the wildlife agency can suspend baiting privileges to manage disease risks. Violations would be punishable as a Class C misdemeanor.
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Last action May 15, 2025
Floor votes · House Apr 22, 2025

How they voted

260
Passed
Total votes 26
Apr 22, 2025
D Democratic5
5 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican21
21 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
14
Committee
17
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/22/2025
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/22/2025
lower
Apr 22, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (26-0)
house
Apr 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/22/2025
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/16/2025
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/14/2025
lower
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Action def. in Government Operations Committee to 4/14/2025
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/7/2025
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Committee
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/25/2025
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/19/2025
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee- Government Operations for Review
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Kip Capley
Kip Capley
RRepublican
TN
71