Two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Jack Johnson & Rep. Jake McCalmon, are pushing SB1068/HB972—a bill that strips property owners of their right to remove trespassers' vehicles. Why are so-called conservatives siding with trespassers over private property rights?
Here we go again! It seems some of our so-called "Republican" lawmakers in Tennessee are at it once more—chipping away at the fundamental rights of private property owners. Senator Jack Johnson and Representative Jake McCalmon have filed SB1068/HB972, a bill that would strip property owners of their right to remove trespassers’ vehicles from their own land. Yes, you read that right—under this bill, property owners could actually be charged with a crime for taking action to boot or tow illegally parked cars from their private property.
So, the question is: why are two Republican lawmakers siding with trespassers over property owners?
What This Bill Really Does
SB1068/HB972, deceptively titled (or what is called a caption bill, which are often used to sneak in bad legislation they want to slip in under the radar) the “Modernization of Towing, Immobilization, and Oversight Normalization (MOTION) Act,” is anything but a modernization. It’s a massive overreach into private property rights, making it nearly impossible for property owners to enforce “No Parking” signs on their own land. The bill effectively criminalizes the act of booting or towing an unauthorized vehicle unless the property owner follows government-mandated procedures that put the burden entirely on them—not the trespasser.
It’s one thing to put reasonable safeguards in place to prevent predatory towing practices, but this bill goes far beyond that. It undermines the rights of small business owners, landlords, and homeowners who simply want to protect their property from unauthorized use.
A Gift to Trespassers, A Nightmare for Property Owners
Think about it: If someone parks their car on your land—whether it's a shopping center, an apartment complex, or even your personal driveway—you should have the absolute right to remove that vehicle at your discretion. Instead, this bill would require property owners to navigate a bureaucratic nightmare just to remove someone else’s car from their own property.
This isn’t just an attack on business owners who rely on private parking enforcement—it’s a direct assault on personal property rights for every Tennessean. If you own land in Tennessee, this bill makes it harder for you to defend itfrom those who would illegally use it.
What’s Next? A Right to Squatters’ Parking Spaces?
If you think this is just about “reforming” towing laws, think again. We’ve already seen how weak property rights enforcement leads to chaos in liberal-run states like California and New York, where squatters have more rights than homeowners. Now, Tennessee Republicans want to open the door for parking lot squatters who can take advantage of this law to leave their cars wherever they please without consequence.
SB1068/HB972 is a slippery slope that erodes conservative values in favor of government overreach and soft-on-crime policies. If this bill becomes law, what’s next? Will landlords be required to house illegal tenants who refuse to leave? Will shop owners be forced to tolerate loitering in their parking lots because removing trespassers is now a “criminal” act?
Why Are Republicans Pushing This?
One has to wonder—why on earth would two Republican lawmakers be leading this charge? It’s hard to imagine any true conservative supporting a bill that makes it easier for people to violate private property rights.
Tennessee is a property rights state—or at least it should be. Conservative Republicans are supposed to stand for personal responsibility, private ownership, and limited government—not legislation that punishes law-abiding property owners while protecting those who disregard the rules.
Tennesseans Must Speak Out
This bill is a massive government overreach that should never see the light of day. If you believe in private property rights, it’s time to call your representatives and demand they kill SB1068/HB972 before it turns Tennessee into a lawless parking free-for-all.
Tell them that Tennessee property owners deserve better than weak Republicans who legislate like leftists. If Johnson and McCalmon want to push Democrat-style policies, maybe they should run as Democrats instead of masquerading as conservatives.
Tennessee voters didn’t send Republicans to Nashville to pass nanny-state laws that protect trespassers—we sent them to uphold our values. And if they won’t, it’s time to remind them who they work for.
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