Tennessee House Bill HB1099

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Refer: 2/10/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53, relative to foods that contain nanotechnology.

Summary

HB1099 would prohibit the sale, delivery for sale, holding for sale, or offering for sale of food containing nanotechnology unless the product is labeled as containing nanotechnology. The bill defines “nanotechnology” as human-created structures, devices, and systems engineered at the nanoscale that have the capability of collecting and transmitting data. In practical terms, the measure creates a labeling requirement for certain foods that use nanoscale technology with data-collection or transmission capabilities. The bill amends Tennessee law in Title 53 by adding this restriction to the state’s food-related regulatory framework, and its caption also references Title 47, Chapter 18, though the operative text provided focuses on the food-sale prohibition and labeling requirement. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2025, and would apply to food sellers, distributors, and others offering food products in Tennessee.

Impact

HB1099 would add a new state-level consumer disclosure requirement for food products that contain qualifying nanotechnology, effectively restricting the sale of such foods unless they are labeled. This would affect food manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other sellers by requiring them to identify products that use nanotechnology as defined in the bill. It would also expand Tennessee’s regulatory oversight of food labeling and sales practices related to emerging food technologies.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to be framed as a consumer-information and food-safety measure rather than a broad prohibition on nanotechnology in food. The absence of legislative history makes the overall sentiment difficult to assess beyond the bill’s apparent precautionary approach.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the scope and definition of “nanotechnology,” especially the requirement that the technology have the capability of collecting and transmitting data. Supporters would likely view the bill as a transparency measure that helps consumers make informed choices, while opponents could argue that the definition is too broad, difficult to enforce, or could capture products not commonly understood as containing nanotechnology. Another possible issue is whether the labeling mandate could burden food businesses or conflict with existing federal food-labeling standards.