Tennessee Senate Bill SB1397

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 6; Title 4; Title 39, Chapter 16, Part 5 and Title 58, Chapter 2, relative to lobbying regulation.

Summary

SB1397 creates a new chapter in Tennessee law called the “Tennessee Foreign Adversary and Chinese Military Company Disclosure and Accountability Act.” The bill is aimed at increasing transparency around lobbying activity conducted on behalf of foreign adversary principals and Chinese military companies. It defines those covered entities by reference to federal lists and categories, and it applies to lobbyists who are paid to lobby for them. Under the bill, a lobbyist who lobbies for a covered foreign adversary principal or Chinese military company must file an affidavit certifying that the lobbying is being done voluntarily and under the lobbyist’s free will. For lobbying on behalf of a Chinese military company, the affidavit must also include specific acknowledgments about the Chinese Communist Party’s goals and the role of Chinese military companies in those goals. The bill makes it unlawful to lobby for a covered entity without first making the required disclosures, and it imposes a civil penalty of $50,000 per violation, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate violation, up to 20 violations per year. The bill would add a new layer of state-level disclosure and enforcement on top of existing Tennessee and federal lobbying rules. It does not replace other lobbying disclosure requirements, but instead supplements them with a targeted regime focused on foreign adversaries and Chinese military companies. In practical terms, it would affect paid lobbyists, foreign-linked principals, and entities identified through federal defense and commerce lists. The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly skeptical and adversarial toward foreign influence operations, especially those associated with China and Chinese military companies. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or bipartisan support/opposition in the available record. The tone of the bill itself suggests a policy goal of deterrence and public disclosure rather than accommodation. The main point of contention likely concerns the bill’s breadth, its politically charged findings about China, and the severity of the penalty structure. Potential critics may question whether the affidavit language is compelled speech or whether the definitions are too broad or dependent on external federal lists, while supporters would likely frame it as a national-security and transparency measure. The bill’s enforcement mechanism and the use of daily civil penalties are also likely to be debated.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee’s lobbying laws by creating a new disclosure and penalty framework for lobbying done on behalf of foreign adversary principals and Chinese military companies. It would require new affidavits, make noncompliant lobbying unlawful, and authorize substantial civil penalties, thereby expanding state regulation of lobbyists and adding new compliance obligations for affected persons and entities.

Sentiment

The bill’s tone is highly restrictive and security-focused, reflecting concern about foreign influence, propaganda, and lobbying tied to adversarial nations and Chinese military companies. No committee discussion or vote history is available, so the broader legislative sentiment cannot be measured directly from debate or roll calls. Based on the text alone, the measure appears designed to attract support from lawmakers prioritizing national security and transparency, while likely drawing criticism from those concerned about overbreadth, compelled statements, or First Amendment issues.

Contention

Likely points of contention include the bill’s compelled affidavit language, especially the required statements about the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese military companies; the reliance on federal foreign-adversary and military-company lists; and the size and structure of the penalties, including daily violations and a $50,000 fine. Opponents may argue the measure is overly broad or constitutionally vulnerable, while supporters are likely to emphasize disclosure, deterrence, and protection against foreign influence in Tennessee politics.