Bill > SB1737

This bill creates a new criminal offense in Tennessee law for individuals who knowingly travel with the intent to steal cash from a commercial business, financial institution (which includes banks and credit unions), or an automated teller machine (ATM), while following the same path as another person without significant deviation and possessing two or more "criminal instruments." A criminal instrument is defined as an item that is not illegal to possess on its own but is intended for use in committing certain theft offenses, specifically those related to shoplifting or robbery. The severity of the penalty for this new offense varies: it is generally a Class A misdemeanor, but it escalates to a Class D felony if the person also commits a violation related to robbery during the commission of the offense, and to a Class B felony if they commit a violation related to aggravated robbery. This law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.