AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 47, relative to lighters.
Summary
SB 512 creates a new consumer protection rule in Tennessee law aimed at the sale of counterfeit and unsafe lighters. The bill defines “lighter,” “counterfeit lighter,” and “unsafe lighter,” and prohibits any person from offering for sale, selling, or giving away a counterfeit lighter or a lighter that does not meet specified ASTM safety standards. The safety standards referenced are ASTM F400-20 for disposable or refillable cigarette, cigar, and pipe lighters, and ASTM F2201-20 for utility, grill, fireplace lighters, lighting rods, and gas matches.
The bill also carves out two exceptions: it does not apply to interstate transportation of these products through Tennessee, and it does not prohibit storage in a warehouse or distribution center that is not open to the public for retail sale or distribution. A violation is treated as an unfair or deceptive act under Tennessee’s consumer protection law, making it enforceable under the state’s existing unfair and deceptive practices provisions. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies only to conduct on or after that date.
Impact
SB 512 amends Title 47 of the Tennessee Code by adding a new section to the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act and by cross-referencing that new offense in the list of unfair or deceptive acts. It expands state law to regulate the retail sale and free distribution of lighters that are counterfeit or fail ASTM safety standards, while leaving interstate transit and non-retail warehouse storage untouched. The practical effect is to give state enforcement authorities a consumer-protection basis to address unsafe lighter products in the marketplace and to subject violators to the remedies and penalties available under existing deceptive-practices law.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have had broad support and little visible opposition. It was recommended for passage in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee by a 7-0 vote and then adopted on the Senate floor by a 33-0 vote. The unanimous votes suggest the measure was viewed as a straightforward consumer safety and anti-counterfeiting bill rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No committee transcript or recorded debate is provided, and the vote history shows no opposition. The only likely areas of policy interest are the scope of the ASTM standards, the definition of unsafe lighters, and the treatment of counterfeit products under consumer protection law. Any concern would most likely come from retailers, distributors, or importers affected by compliance and enforcement obligations, but the available record does not show organized resistance.