KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB0168 • 2026

Tobacco, Tobacco Products

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1; Title 4; Title 39; Title 43; Title 47; Title 49; Title 62; Title 63; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to tobacco and tobacco-derived products.

Agriculture
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Jones R, Southerland
Last action
2025-01-27
Official status
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how the study should be conducted or what specific recommendations will be made, leaving these aspects open-ended.

Tobacco Products Study Act

This bill urges the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to study how smokeless nicotine and other alternative nicotine products are sold to people under 21 years old and encourages recommendations to reduce these sales.

What This Bill Does

  • Urges the department of agriculture to study the sale and distribution of smokeless nicotine and other alternative nicotine products to persons under 21.
  • Encourages the department to make recommendations to the legislature regarding ways to reduce such sales and distribution.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Department of Agriculture
  • People who sell smokeless nicotine and other alternative nicotine products
  • Young people under the age of 21

Terms To Know

Smokeless Nicotine Products
Products that contain nicotine but do not involve smoking, such as e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches.
Alternative Nicotine Products
Other products besides traditional tobacco that provide nicotine to users.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the department should conduct its study.
  • It is unclear what specific recommendations the department will make to reduce sales and distribution of these products to young people under 21.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  4. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  5. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  6. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 976
By Southerland

HOUSE BILL 168
By Jones R

HB0168
000948
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1;
Title 4; Title 39; Title 43; Title 47; Title 49; Title 62;
Title 63; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to tobacco
and tobacco-derived products.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1513, is amended by deleting
the language "vapor products" and substituting instead "vapor products, smokeless nicotine
products, and other alternative nicotine products".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.