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HB 2266

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, increases the penalty for vehicular homicide from a Class C felony to a Class B felony if the offense occurred as the proximate result of the driver's extreme and excessive rate of speed; defines "extreme and excessive rate of speed" as traveling at more than 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 55.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Tom Leatherwood

HB 2266 elevates vehicular homicide from Class C to Class B felony if driver exceeded speed limit by 20+ mph, increasing penalties for extreme speeding deaths.

Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 2266

Legislative bill overview

HB 2266 increases the criminal penalty for vehicular homicide from a Class C felony to a Class B felony when the death results from driving at speeds exceeding the posted limit by more than 20 mph. The bill creates a specific aggravating circumstance that triggers the enhanced penalty based on a defined threshold of excessive speeding.

Why is this important

Vehicular homicide sentencing directly affects justice outcomes for victims' families and potentially deters reckless driving behavior. The 20 mph threshold establishes a bright-line rule that determines whether a driver faces significantly harsher penalties, making it a measurable policy choice with real consequences for sentencing lengths and criminal records.

Potential points of contention

  • Arbitrary threshold: The 20 mph threshold may not correlate uniformly with fatality risk across different road types (highway vs. residential) or conditions, potentially creating unequal treatment
  • Prosecutorial discretion: Determining "proximate result" of speed requires subjective judgment about causation, which could lead to inconsistent application across different cases and jurisdictions
  • Sentencing proportionality: Whether the Class B felony penalty is proportionate to deaths caused by extreme speeding compared to other fatal conduct, and whether it accounts for cases with multiple contributing factors beyond speed alone

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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