New Tennessee Laws Taking Effect This July 1st
Here are several laws that took effect this July 1st, 2026 across Tennessee.
Promoted transparency and accountability in political ads / Transparency for Deepfakes in Political Advertising Act / HB 1513 by Rep. Jason Zachary
Requires a disclosure if an audio or video ad falsely depicts a candidate's speech or actions, commonly referred to as a deepfake.
Failure to provide a disclaimer could result in a Class C misdemeanor. Broadcasters, hosts, third-party producers and carriers of the communication could not be held liable unless they are responsible for creating the content.
Protected Tennessee's infrastructure from foreign adversaries / HB 548 by Rep. Mark Cochran
The law prohibits state and local governments from purchasing certain technology products from countries identified as adversaries by the U.S. Department of Commerce, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba.
It requires state procurement officials to certify that contracts are not awarded to companies controlled by or primarily located in adversarial nations.
The measure applies to high-risk technologies, including communication systems, computing devices, financial systems, and critical infrastructure equipment.
Cracked down on foreign intimidation / HB 2279 by Rep. Mark Cochran
The “Crush Transnational Repression in Tennessee Act” protects Tennesseans from harassment and intimidation by foreign adversaries and terrorist organizations.
The law increases penalties for crimes committed on behalf of these entities, ensuring stronger consequences.
Creates a new offense for attempting to enforce foreign laws or directives in Tennessee without authorization.
The measure specifically protects individuals from coercion aimed at suppressing their legal and constitutional rights.
Death penalty for child rapists / HB 1454 by Rep. Greg Martin
The Tennessee General Assembly in 2024 passed a law allowing juries to consider the death penalty as an option for someone convicted of rape of a child under 12.
The new law gives prosecutors additional tools to hold convicted child rapists accountable by outlining and adding several aggravating circumstances to pursue the death penalty.
Increased the offense of assaulting a first responder to a Class E felony / HB 2428 by Rep. Kip Capley
The new law increases the offense of assaulting a first responder from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony, punishable by a mandatory $10,000 fine and a minimum of 60 days in jail.
In 2024, the General Assembly passed the Back the Blue Act, creating the same penalties for assaulting a law enforcement officer in the Volunteer State.
Protected women's safety in private spaces / Riley Gaines Women's Safety and Protection Act / HB 571 by Rep. Gino Bulso
Requires institutions to designate changing rooms, showering facilities and restrooms by sex to help prevent sexual assault, harassment and violence in public higher education institutions, domestic violence shelters, and juvenile detention and correctional facilities.
People who encounter an individual of the opposite sex in facilities described in this legislation have a private cause of action if the facility intentionally allowed a person to enter or failed to take reasonable steps to prohibit that person from entering a restroom of the opposite sex.
Protecting small businesses from digital gatekeepers / HB 2028 by Rep. Jeremy Faison
Tennessee small businesses depend on online search engines to reach customers and compete in today's economy.
When a business suddenly disappears from search results or loses a significant number of reviews, it can suffer serious financial harm.
This legislation ensures small businesses have a way to understand why those actions occurred.
Prohibited TennCare from providing coverage or reimbursement for gender transition procedures / HB 2498 by Rep. Kip Capley
Prohibits TennCare from providing coverage or reimbursement for procedures that would enable a person to identify as the opposite sex or treat purported discomfort based on a person's biological sex.
The proposal does not apply to congenital defects, precocious puberty, disease or physical injury.
Established framework for stem cell therapy in Tennessee / HB 2246 by Rep. Chris Hurt
Creates ethical and medical guardrails for stem cell therapy in the Volunteer State.
Allows physicians to provide stem cell or regenerative medicine therapies that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if treatments are within their scope of practice.
All cells, tissues or cellular- or tissue-based products must be obtained from a facility registered with the FDA or an accredited third-party, and cannot be derived from an aborted unborn child.
Advertisements for non-FDA-approved stem cell therapies or regenerative medicine treatments must include a notice divulging that information and encouraging consultation with a person's primary care provider. Written consent signed by a patient or a patient's representative must be obtained before treatment.
