AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 50, relative to the use of self-service checkout.
HB2051 creates the “Tennessee Safe Stores and Staffed Stores Act” and regulates the use of self-service checkout in large drug retail establishments and food retail establishments. The bill defines the covered stores and checkout systems, then imposes operational requirements on any store that offers self-checkout, including minimum staffed-checkout ratios, limits on the number of items a customer may purchase through self-checkout, and restrictions on using self-checkout for items that require identification or special theft-deterrent measures.
The bill also requires stores to post public notice of customer rights and enforcement information, place self-checkout stations where they can be observed by employees and law enforcement, and assign employees to monitor self-checkout during operating hours without other duties that would interfere with oversight. It creates a private right of action allowing customers or employees to sue for violations, authorizes civil penalties and attorney’s fees for prevailing plaintiffs, and prohibits retaliation against employees who assert rights under the act. The law would take effect January 1, 2027, and apply prospectively.
HB2051 would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 47, Chapter 18 by adding a new part governing self-service checkout in specified retail stores, and it also references Title 50 for related employment protections. The bill would directly affect large grocery-type stores and drug retail establishments that use self-checkout, requiring them to maintain staffed lanes, monitor self-checkout more closely, limit certain purchases, and comply with notice and anti-retaliation rules. It also exposes covered retailers to civil liability and monetary penalties for noncompliance.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendment activity, or formal support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a consumer- and worker-protection approach to self-checkout, emphasizing staffing, theft prevention, and employee oversight rather than expansion of automated checkout. The absence of voting history prevents a reliable assessment of legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s stated regulatory purpose.
The likely points of contention are the bill’s staffing mandates, limits on self-checkout use, and private enforcement mechanism. Retailers may object to the required employee-to-kiosk ratios, the prohibition on using self-checkout for ID-checked or theft-deterrent items, and the operational burden of monitoring and signage requirements. Employees and consumer advocates would likely support the bill’s safety, oversight, and anti-retaliation provisions, while opponents may argue that the rules are costly, difficult to implement, and could reduce convenience or increase labor expenses.