AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to criminal offenses.
Summary
SB1225 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s criminal code governing the dissemination of smoking paraphernalia. Under current law, businesses that sell or otherwise distribute smoking paraphernalia must display a required warning sign; this bill revises Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-411(a) to clarify that the sign must be prominently displayed in the place where the items are disseminated. The bill does not create a new offense or broadly alter criminal penalties, but instead updates the statutory language tied to existing display requirements.
The practical effect is to reinforce compliance obligations for retailers and other distributors of smoking paraphernalia, including smoke shops and similar businesses. By tying the signage requirement directly to the location where the items are sold or distributed, the bill may make enforcement clearer for regulators and law enforcement and reduce ambiguity about where the notice must be posted. The act is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-15-411(a) within Title 39, which addresses criminal offenses, by refining the signage requirement for persons who disseminate smoking paraphernalia. It leaves the underlying prohibition and related enforcement framework intact, but strengthens the statutory directive that the warning sign required by § 39-17-1506(a) be prominently displayed at the point of dissemination. Affected parties are retailers, distributors, and other businesses handling smoking paraphernalia, as well as enforcement authorities responsible for compliance.
Sentiment
The voting history suggests the bill was generally supported, with passage at multiple stages by comfortable margins, including a strong House floor vote and concurrence on a House amendment. The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended passage with amendments, indicating some review and refinement rather than broad opposition. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a modest, technical clarification rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to have been the amendment process rather than the substance of the bill itself, as reflected in the Senate floor vote on a motion to adopt a division of question amendment and the committee recommendation for passage with amendments. The available record does not show detailed debate, but the votes indicate that some members wanted to separate or modify parts of the measure before final passage. No specific stakeholder opposition is identified in the provided materials.
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.