Tennessee House approves online driver-education registration; questions remain about identity verification

Representative Caleb Hemmer moved passage of House Bill 18-91 on third and final consideration, saying the measure modernizes sections of Tennessee’s motor vehicle traffic laws to permit people charged with speeding to register for a Department of Safety–approved online driver-education course with the court clerk rather than appearing in person. Hemmer said successful completion within 90 days can remove up to five points from an individual’s driving record and that the bill requires court clerks to make online registration available and for online vendors to submit completion records directly to the Department of Safety. The sponsor said the bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Why it matters: The change removes a procedural hurdle for eligible drivers who can complete training online rather than in person and centralizes course reporting with the Department of Safety. Lawmakers warned that moving from in-person instruction to online options could create opportunities for someone other than the cited individual to complete a required course, which would affect points and enforcement outcomes.

During floor discussion Representative Dahlgren asked whether the bill contains any mechanism to ensure the person completing the online course is the same person who received the citation. He said, "Is there any way to verify that it is the actual individual who was issued that citation and not someone else sitting at a computer taking this class for them?" Hemmer replied that the bill relies on Department of Safety–approved vendors and the department’s existing verification processes: "There is a driver's license verification and you could have a picture that you would have to take as well," he said, adding that vendors use attestation and other approved steps already in place.

A separate motion was made on the floor to re-refer the bill to the judiciary committee to address verification questions; that motion failed on a roll call vote. The House subsequently moved the previous question and, after completing debate, the Speaker declared HB 18-91 passed on third and final consideration, having received a constitutional majority.

What wasn’t decided or specified: The transcript records the sponsor's statements about vendor verification (attestation, driver's license checks, photos) but does not include statutory text or detailed vendor standards. The final roll-call tally for the bill as recorded in the transcript was not provided in full text; the Clerk and Speaker declared a constitutional majority and passage.

Next steps: The motion to reconsider was tabled and the bill was declared passed; implementation will depend on Department of Safety processes and vendor compliance with its approval and reporting requirements.