AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to criminal offenses.
Summary
HB1354 amends Tennessee criminal law to change the notice requirements for businesses that disseminate smoking paraphernalia. Under current law, those businesses must prominently display a sign required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1506(a). The bill keeps that requirement in place but updates the cross-reference in § 39-15-411(a) by deleting and replacing the subsection language so that the duty to post the sign is stated directly in the smoking paraphernalia statute.
The bill is narrow in scope and does not create a new offense or expand criminal penalties. Instead, it clarifies and restates an existing compliance obligation for retailers or other persons who sell or distribute smoking paraphernalia, tying that obligation to the signage requirement already found elsewhere in the code. It takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB1354 would amend Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-411(a), affecting persons or businesses that disseminate smoking paraphernalia by requiring them to prominently display the statutory warning sign referenced in § 39-17-1506(a). The practical effect is to reinforce and clarify the posting requirement within the criminal code, while leaving the underlying signage obligation and related enforcement framework intact.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received in committee, advancing 9-0 in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and 14-1 in the House Judiciary Committee. The absence of transcript discussion indicates little recorded debate, and the strong vote margins suggest broad agreement on the bill’s limited, technical nature.
Contention
Any contention appears minimal and likely centered on the bill’s technical amendment to criminal statutes rather than on a major policy dispute. The only recorded opposition was a single no vote in the House Judiciary Committee, but no transcript is available to show the specific concern. Overall, the bill seems to have been viewed as a housekeeping measure clarifying signage requirements for smoking paraphernalia sellers rather than a controversial criminal justice change.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55 and Title 65, relative to criminal offenses.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55 and Title 65, relative to criminal offenses.