Rep. Kevin Raper, R-Cleveland, filed House Bill 8 on Nov. 10 for introduction in the 115th General Assembly, which convenes its 2027–2028 session next year. The measure would amend sections of Tennessee law governing motor vehicles and alcoholic beverages to allow drivers to possess and consume nonalcoholic beer while operating a car or truck.

The proposal is narrow in scope: it addresses only nonalcoholic beer and does not seek to permit drivers to drink alcoholic beer. But the bill summary offers little detail on how nonalcoholic beer would be defined or precisely how current law would change. As drafted, the legislation simply states that drivers may possess and consume nonalcoholic beer while driving.

The filing comes amid a flurry of early bills ahead of the upcoming session, including a separate proposal to exempt milk, eggs and bread from the state grocery tax and another that would impose a $1 million fine for mailing abortion-inducing drugs.

For Tennessee drivers, the bill raises practical questions that the text does not yet answer — chiefly how law enforcement would distinguish a nonalcoholic brew from a regular beer during a traffic stop, and whether the state would set a specific definition or labeling requirement. Those details would likely be worked out in committee if the bill advances.

The measure has not yet been assigned to a committee or scheduled for a hearing. Raper did not immediately release a statement on the proposal.