Tennessee Senate Bill SB0723

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 68, Chapter 201, relative to weather modification.

Summary

SB0723 would add a new part to Tennessee’s consumer protection laws defining and regulating “weather modification,” “cloud seeding,” and “weather-related company.” The bill broadly defines weather modification as activities intended to change the atmosphere and defines weather-related companies to include entities offering forecasting, modeling, atmospheric assessments, weather modification, or cloud seeding services. The core of the bill makes it unlawful for weather-related companies to seed or disperse substances into clouds or fog, use fires or heat sources to influence weather, modify solar radiation exchange through releases into the atmosphere, or alter land or water surfaces with powders, sprays, dyes, or similar materials for weather-related effects. It also classifies any violation as an unfair or deceptive act under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, making violators subject to that act’s penalties and remedies. The bill would take effect July 1, 2025.

Impact

The bill would create new statutory restrictions in Title 47 on weather modification activities and specifically tie violations to Tennessee’s consumer protection enforcement framework. By amending Section 47-18-104(b), it adds violations of the new weather-modification prohibition to the list of unfair or deceptive acts or practices, expanding the state’s enforcement tools and potential civil liability against covered companies and service providers.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to reflect a precautionary or restrictive approach toward weather modification technologies and related commercial services.

Contention

The likely points of contention are the breadth of the definitions and the scope of the prohibited conduct. The bill reaches not only cloud seeding but also a wider range of atmospheric and surface-altering activities, which could affect weather forecasting, environmental consulting, and other companies that may argue their services are not weather modification. Supporters would likely emphasize consumer protection and environmental caution, while opponents may view the measure as overbroad or as restricting legitimate scientific, agricultural, or commercial practices.