A Nashville representative and Knoxville senator have filed bills that would make parts of traffic accident reports confidential, including the names of people involved in the accident.
State Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, represents part of Davidson County.
Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, and Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville, have filed HB 1107 and SB 1346. The bills which would make the names of people involved in traffic accidents confidential, along with their addresses, dates of birth, telephone numbers, driver license numbers and insurance information.
Some of this information in a law enforcement traffic accident report, such as a person’s driver’s license number and other personal information, is already confidential under law. However the names of people involved in traffic accidents is currently open.
State Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville, represents part of Knox County.
The bill also seeks to amend what the State Department of Safety, which receives reports from local agencies, is required to release as part of a public records request. Currently, the law says reports of motor vehicle accidents records of the state agency are open, but that it is a Class A misdemeanor for any person to “use the report or information contained in the report for solicitation that is prohibited by a standard of conduct or practice of any profession licensed by the state.”
The bill would amend that language to say that personally identifiable information, including names, would be confidential.
