---
type: "Bill"
title: "Special License Plates - As enacted, authorizes various new special license plates and grants additional time for certain plates to meet the minimum order requirement; revises other special license plate provisions. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4."
description: "Special License Plates - As enacted, authorizes various new special license plates and grants additional time for certain plates to meet the minimum order requirement; revises other special license plate provisions. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "112"
identifier: "SB 138"
citation: "Tennessee SB 138 (112)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Special License Plates"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Howell", "Massey"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 43
vote_count: 9
first_action: "2021-01-12"
last_action: "2021-06-02"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/ed92b6af-459c-4f15-b115-1107f3300a60"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0138&GA=112"
source_hash: "a7db7358494a983a70da53ac982e8baf6c0690f6e625db79705c5321091d00ba"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee SB 138 (112) — Special License Plates - As enacted, authorizes various new special license plates and grants additional time for certain plates to meet the minimum order requirement; revises other special license plate provisions. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment HA0249** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/HA0249.pdf)
2. **Amendment HA0424** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/HA0424.pdf)
3. **Amendment SA0138** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/SA0138.pdf)
4. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/SB0138.pdf)

## Votes

- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/21/2021 (4) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 3/24/2021 Passed — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 5/3/2021 Passed (1) — **93–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/3/2021 4/28/2021 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/29/2021 Passed (1) — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 5/4/2021 Passed — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/7/2021 (5) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee 3/30/2021 (6) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/27/2021 (3) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Howell — primary (person)
- Massey — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-01-12** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-01-13** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-01-13** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2021-01-14** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-01-14** P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- **2021-01-15** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee
- **2021-02-23** Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-23** Ref. to Transportation Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-17** Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/24/2021
- **2021-03-24** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
- **2021-03-24** Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/30/2021
- **2021-03-25** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/29/2021
- **2021-03-29** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
- **2021-03-29** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2021-03-29** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0138)
- **2021-03-30** Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-31** Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 4/7/2021
- **2021-04-01** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2021-04-07** Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-07** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-14** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/21/2021
- **2021-04-21** Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/27/2021
- **2021-04-21** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-27** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/28/2021
- **2021-04-27** Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-28** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2021-05-03** H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0424) `amendment-passage`
- **2021-05-03** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0249) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2021-05-03** Subst. for comp. HB.
- **2021-05-03** Comp. SB subst.
- **2021-05-03** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-04** Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0424) `passage`
- **2021-05-04** Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-05** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-12** Enrolled and ready for signatures
- **2021-05-13** Signed by H. Speaker
- **2021-05-13** Signed by Senate Speaker
- **2021-05-17** Transmitted to Governor for action.
- **2021-05-27** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2021-06-02** Effective date(s) 07/01/2021
- **2021-06-02** Pub. Ch. 579
- **2021-06-02** Comp. became Pub. Ch. 579

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/ed92b6af-459c-4f15-b115-1107f3300a60`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).