NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Ron Gant, R-Piperton, has proposed legislation to enhance the penalty for aggravated vehicular homicide and assault in Tennessee. House Bill 190 will lower the minimum alcohol concentration (BAC) in a person’s blood to be considered aggravated vehicular homicide or assault from 0.20 percent to 0.15 percent. “Driving under the influence […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Ron Gant, R-Piperton, has proposed legislation to enhance the penalty for aggravated vehicular homicide and assault in Tennessee.
House Bill 190 will lower the minimum alcohol concentration (BAC) in a person’s blood to be considered aggravated vehicular homicide or assault from 0.20 percent to 0.15 percent.
“Driving under the influence is a serious offense and our laws should accurately reflect the severity of the crime,” Gant said. “Far too many people are killed and injured each year at the hands of someone drunk behind the wheel, a heartbreaking reality that we must work to change. This legislation is a common-sense way to improve road and public safety in the Volunteer State by holding drunk drivers accountable for selfishly and dangerously putting Tennessee families in harm’s way.”
Aggravated vehicular homicide is a Class A felony where offenders face up to 60 years in prison. Currently, a person must have a 0.20 percent BAC or more when they kill another person while driving in addition to having a prior conviction for driving under the influence (DUI), boating under the influence (BUI), or vehicular assault.
Aggravated vehicular assault constitutes a Class C felony in Tennessee, which has a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. Someone who causes serious bodily injury to another person while driving with a BAC of at least 0.20 percent faces a charge of aggravated vehicular assault. They must also have a prior conviction for DUI or BUI.
One in three fatal crashes in Tennessee involve a person driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, costing the lives of 441 people in 2023. A recent Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission report required by legislation Gant passed in 2024 reveals that alcohol-related vehicular crash deaths increased by 36 percent between 2019 and 2023 in Tennessee, while injury crashes increased by 12 percent.
House Bill 190 advanced out of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week and is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on March 19.
State Rep. Ron Gant represents House District 94, which includes Fayette, McNairy and part of Hardeman counties.