Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify what happens if a first responder is only slightly injured, nor does it provide details on enforcement or funding. Additionally, the bill's status indicates that it has not yet been passed into law and remains active in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Law to Protect First Responders from Dangerous Drugs

This law makes it a serious crime for someone who has dangerous drugs like fentanyl to put first responders at risk while they are doing their job, and if the drug hurts or kills a responder, there is a big fine and jail time.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new felony offense called 'aggravated assault against a first responder' for people who knowingly possess dangerous drugs like fentanyl and put first responders at risk while they are working.
• Defines 'expose' as coming into direct contact with the drug by touch, ingestion, or inhalation.
• Requires anyone found guilty of this new offense to pay a $15,000 fine.
• Mandates that someone convicted must serve at least 90 days in jail before being eligible for release.
• Ensures the person cannot be released early and must complete the full 90-day sentence.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who have dangerous drugs like fentanyl or similar substances.
• First responders such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.

Terms To Know

Class C felony

A serious crime that carries a significant punishment, including jail time and fines.

Mandatory minimum sentence

The shortest amount of time someone must spend in jail as part of their punishment for a specific crime.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if the first responder is only slightly injured.
• Does not provide details on how the law will be enforced or funded.
• The bill has not yet been passed into law and remains active in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Official Summary Text

This bill creates the offense of aggravated assault against a first responder for a person who knowingly possess fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or a fentan
yl analogue, in a manner that would be reasonably foreseen to expose a first responder to the substance while the first responder is discharging or attempting to discharge the first responder's official duties and the first responder is exposed to the sub
s
tance resulting in serious bodily injury to the first responder or the death of the first responder.

A violation of this offense is a Class C felony, punishable by a mandatory fine of $15,000 and a mandatory minimum sentence of 90 days incarceration. Ad
ditionally, a defendant is not eligible for release from confinement until the defendant has served the entire 90 day mandatory minimum sentence.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 120
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 143
By Zachary

HB0143
000541
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to criminal offenses involving controlled
substances.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-116, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(e)
(1) A person commits aggravated assault against a first responder, who
knowingly possesses fentanyl, carfentanil, remifentanil, alfentanil, thiafentanil, or
a fentanyl analogue, in a manner that would be reasonably foreseen to expose a
first responder to the substance while the first responder is discharging or
attempting to discharge the first responder's official duties and the first responder
is exposed to the substance resulting in:
(A) Serious bodily injury to the first responder; or
(B) The death of the first responder.
(2) As used in this subsection (e), "expose" means to come into direct
contact with a substance by touch, ingestion, or inhalation.
(3) Aggravated assault under this subsection (e) is a Class C felony,
punishable by a mandatory fine of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) and a
mandatory minimum sentence of ninety (90) days incarceration. The defendant
is not eligible for release from confinement until the defendant has served the
entire ninety-day mandatory minimum sentence.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.