Tennessee Senate Bill SB1761

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/26
• Engrossed: 3/16/26
• Enrolled: 4/1/26
• Passed: 4/14/26
• Chaptered: 4/28/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, Chapter 3; Title 39; Title 43, Chapter 27; Title 53; Title 57, Chapter 7 and Title 67, Chapter 6, relative to hemp.

Summary

SB1761 revises Tennessee’s hemp-derived cannabinoid product (HDCP) regulatory framework. The bill updates definitions and licensing provisions for hemp suppliers, removes references to “person or entity” in several sections, and changes application requirements for certain licenses. It also strengthens product labeling and disclosure rules by requiring a conspicuous warning statement, batch-number tracking, and a QR code that links consumers and regulators to testing information, including certificates of analysis and full-panel/potency test results. The bill also changes packaging requirements for HDCP beverage products, limiting containers to traditional pull-tabs, approved aluminum can devices, or screw-top/cork-style caps. Most notably, it adds a prohibition on the Department of Agriculture issuing or renewing HDCP supplier and retail licenses after the act’s effective date, which would effectively freeze new licensing in those categories going forward. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

SB1761 amends Tennessee Code Annotated provisions in Title 57 governing hemp-derived cannabinoid products, affecting licensing, labeling, packaging, and product traceability requirements. It removes and revises language related to applicants and responsible persons, expands or clarifies supplier definitions, and requires public access to batch-specific testing information through QR codes. It also bars future issuance or renewal of HDCP supplier and retail licenses by the Department of Agriculture, significantly affecting hemp product businesses, wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers operating in Tennessee.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported. It passed the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee unanimously, then cleared both floor votes without any recorded opposition. The 91-0 final passage suggests strong bipartisan agreement or at least little visible resistance to the measure as amended.

Contention

No committee transcript is available, and the recorded votes show no formal opposition, so there is little evidence of active contention in the legislative record provided. The most potentially controversial feature is the provision stopping the Department of Agriculture from issuing or renewing HDCP supplier and retail licenses after the effective date, which could be viewed as a major restriction on the hemp-derived cannabinoid market. The enhanced labeling, QR-code disclosure, and packaging rules may also have implications for compliance costs and product availability, but no specific objections are reflected in the available materials.