RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - Legislation pushed forward by Senator Dawn White of Murfreesboro State Representative Mike Sparks of Smyrna calls for the creation of a task force to determine the best method to end illegal street racing in Tennessee... Barnhardt, a 15-year Special Forces Army Veteran, was only 34-years-old when police say one of two vehicles believed to be racing one another slammed into Barnhardt's car at 100 miles per hour.
The bill (HB 2062) to form the 17-member task force passed on Wednesday (05/15/2024). Sparks told WGNS the task force to study potential laws and regulations to curb illegal street racing will include... The Chief of the Murfreesboro Police Department or a designee from the MPD will serve on the study committee, along with the Commissioner of Safety and the Colonel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Sparks, a Republican in the State House of Representatives, went on to describe the late Army Veteran whose vehicle was allegedly struck by a so-called street racer... Barnhardt died on March 6, 2023 and lived in Clarksville, TN. He served as a Special Forces Combat Medic in the 5th Special Forces Group of the United States Army.
The first meeting of the task force will be between now and August 1, 2024. In January of next year, the task force is expected to present their findings and recommendations of how to handle street racing to the Tennessee General Assembly.
Additional Legislation Sponsored or Co-Sponsored by Sparks that has a Street Racing Focus:
- HB2062: Traffic Safety - As introduced, creates a street racing task force to study and determine best practices for curbing illegal street racing in this state.
- HB0908: Forfeiture of Assets - As introduced, clarifies that a motor vehicle used in the commission or flight from commission of the offense of drag racing is subject to civil asset forfeiture; designates the department of safety as the applicable agency for such forfeiture proceedings.
- HB1341: Forfeiture of Assets - As introduced, requires a person convicted of drag racing to serve a minimum of 48 consecutive hours in confinement; increases the period of time that the department of safety is required to revoke the driver license of a person convicted of drag racing, from one to two years.
