New Tennessee Laws Are Now in Effect
Tennessee Today

Nashville, TN — July usually arrives in Tennessee with fireworks, unbearable humidity and the annual realization that your car’s air conditioning is not nearly as powerful as you thought.

 

Every July in Tennessee also comes with a new rulebook.

 

A slate of new state laws officially took effect July 1, touching everything from classrooms and child influencers to immigration, artificial intelligence and new penalties for those who spike someone’s drink.

 

Here are a few of the new laws Tennesseans may want to know:

• Elementary School Is Going Low-Tech

A new law restricts students in kindergarten through fifth grade from accessing digital devices at school and limits teachers from using devices for instruction. Electronic testing is also barred for those grades, though the law includes certain exceptions. In other words, pencils are back, and Chromebooks may need a moment to process this news.

• Family Vlogging Just Got a Payroll Department

Under a new child influencer law, creators must compensate children who appear in at least 30 percent of their monetized content during a 30-day period and place the money into a trust for the child. Teenagers between 14 and 18 are entitled to the money earned from content they create themselves, and creators must maintain records tracking content and compensation.

 

So, if your toddler is carrying the family TikTok account, Tennessee says it may be time to cut them a check.

• AI Is Not Your Therapist

In Tennessee, AI cannot pretend to be a licensed mental health professional. A new law prohibits AI developers from marketing or claiming that an artificial intelligence system is, or can function as, a licensed mental health professional. Higher education departments can breathe a sigh of relief. The robots can listen, but they’re not coming for their jobs just yet.

• Drink Spiking Is Now a Felony

One of the more serious changes creates a specific felony offense for intentionally drugging or spiking another person’s drink. Under a new law, intentionally placing a substance in someone’s food or drink without consent for certain unlawful purposes can be prosecuted as a Class D felony, carrying the possibility of years behind bars.

• Tennessee Is Strengthening Immigration Enforcement

Several new laws also strengthen the state’s approach to illegal immigration. Applicants for certain professional licenses, permits, and certifications must now provide documentation showing they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country. Local governments must also verify citizenship or lawful residency for certain public benefits. Another law allows someone who remains in Tennessee more than 90 days after receiving a final federal order of removal to face a Class A misdemeanor under state law. Lawmakers are drawing a clear line, leaving little room for ambiguity when it comes to protecting Tennesseans.

• Tennessee Is Cutting More Red Tape 

New regulatory reforms affect hundreds of thousands of licensed professionals across Tennessee. Among the changes: makeup applicants are exempt from cosmetology licensure, contractors can use a bond instead of certain financial documents when applying for licensure, and the state created a new pathway to engineering licensure for some applicants with accredited engineering technology degrees. Tennessee even officially terminated its polygraph examiner license. You can take our word for it.

 

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