Tennessee lawmakers have passed the James Bardsley, Jr. Life Protection Act, which strengthens penalties for fatal hit-and-run crashes. The bill creates a mandatory minimum one-year prison sentence and classifies the offense as a Class D felony for drivers who leave the scene of an accident when they knew or reasonably should have known that someone died. It also imposes a fine between $5,000 and $10,000.

The legislation is now awaiting signature from Governor Bill Lee and is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. State Rep. Robert Stevens, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized that fleeing a fatal crash is a deliberate attempt to avoid responsibility and that the new law ensures real consequences and accountability in Tennessee.

Under prior law, leaving the scene was a Class E felony with a maximum of two years in prison. The act is named after 19-year-old James “Jimmy” Bardsley Jr., who was killed in September 2021 when a hit-and-run driver struck him while he was riding a motorcycle in Rutherford County. The driver was later identified and convicted on multiple charges, including leaving the scene of a fatal crash.