Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - As enacted, enacts the "Law Enforcement’s Safer Tennessee Electronic Registration (LESTER) Act," which clarifies that law enforcement is required to accept a digital copy of vehicle registration as proof of registration. - Amends TCA Title 38 and Title 55.
SB 228, the "LESTER Act," requires Tennessee law enforcement to accept digital copies of vehicle registration as valid proof of registration, directly affecting drivers who use digital registration and police officers during traffic stops. It amends Tennessee law to clarify that displaying a digital registration does not grant officers permission to access other contents of a driver's electronic device. The bill also updates terminology from "motor-propelled vehicle" to "motor vehicle" in relevant sections. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 27, 2025
Signed Apr 11, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Feb 24, 2025 · House Mar 31, 2025
How they voted
37–1
Passed
Total votes 38
Feb 24, 2025
D
Democratic7
100% Yea
R
Republican31
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
21
Key actions
8
Committee
3
Amendments
1
Apr 11, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0159)
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0001)
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 1
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
upper
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/19/2025
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Brent Taylor
RRepublican
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