Tennessee Senate Bill SB1740

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/26
• Engrossed: 3/26/26
• Enrolled: 4/15/26
• Passed: 4/27/26
• Chaptered: 5/4/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 15, relative to underage persons.

Summary

SB1740 amends Tennessee’s laws governing penalties for violations involving underage persons in Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 15. The bill revises the range of sanctions a general sessions or juvenile court may impose for a violation of Section 39-17-1505, including community service up to 50 hours, completion of a court program, and civil penalties of $10 to $50. The civil penalty may be assessed against a person age 18 to under 21, or, for a minor, against a parent, guardian, or custodian. For minors, the bill authorizes an informal adjustment for 90 days for a first violation. For a second or subsequent violation, the court may place the minor on probation for up to six months, along with community service and a prescribed court program focused on the dangers of tobacco and vapor products. The bill also specifies that any probation ordered under this section is not to be supervised by the Department of Children’s Services, and it takes effect July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill narrows and clarifies the available court responses for underage-person violations under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1505, while preserving a mix of educational, community-based, and monetary penalties. It affects minors, young adults ages 18 to under 21, and parents, guardians, or custodians who may be liable for civil penalties in cases involving minors. It also directs juvenile and general sessions courts on how to handle repeat violations and removes Department of Children’s Services supervision from probation ordered under this provision.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support for the bill at each stage, including committee recommendation, floor passage, amendment adoption, and concurrence with the House amendment. There is no recorded opposition in the votes provided, and no committee transcript excerpts are available to indicate substantive debate. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed favorably and as a routine enforcement/penalty update rather than a controversial policy change.

Contention

No explicit points of contention are reflected in the provided record. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the use of civil penalties for young adults and parents/guardians, the availability of informal adjustment versus probation for minors, and the requirement that repeat offenders complete a program focused on tobacco and vapor-product dangers. If any concern existed, it would likely have centered on juvenile accountability, parental liability, and the scope of court discretion, but the unanimous votes suggest these issues did not generate visible disagreement.