Tennessee Senate Bill SB1424

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 14, relative to adult-oriented establishments.

Summary

SB1424 amends Tennessee’s definition of an “adult-oriented establishment” in Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 14. The bill replaces the current definition with one that expressly includes facilities, establishments, businesses, or services that offer sexually oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia, adult cabaret entertainment, or specified sexual activities, whether presented in printed, filmed, recorded, or live form, and that restrict or purport to restrict admission to adults or a class of adults. The measure appears to be a definitional update rather than a broader regulatory overhaul. By adding “adult cabaret entertainment” to the statutory definition, the bill likely affects which businesses and venues are treated as adult-oriented establishments under Tennessee law, which can in turn influence licensing, zoning, enforcement, and other local or state restrictions tied to that classification. The act is set to take effect on May 1, 2025.

Impact

SB1424 changes Tennessee Code Annotated § 7-51-1401(5), expanding and clarifying the statutory definition of “adult-oriented establishment” to include adult cabaret entertainment alongside sexually oriented material and specified sexual activities. This amendment may affect businesses such as adult entertainment venues, cabarets, and other establishments that provide adult performances or related services, potentially subjecting them to existing legal restrictions applicable to adult-oriented establishments.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the text alone, the bill reads as a targeted statutory clarification with a regulatory purpose, suggesting a neutral-to-supportive legislative posture focused on updating the law’s terminology and scope.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the inclusion of “adult cabaret entertainment” in the definition, which could broaden the reach of adult-oriented establishment regulations to additional venues or performances. Businesses, performers, and local governments could view the change differently depending on how existing restrictions are applied, but no specific objections or supporters are documented in the provided record.