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HB0182 • 2026

Tattoos and Piercings

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 38, relative to The Ink of Hope Act.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Littleton, Massey
Last action
2025-03-21
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 19
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on funding and administration of training courses, nor does it specify the exact consequences if a tattoo operator fails to complete the required training by December 31, 2028.

The Ink of Hope Act

This act requires tattoo operators and artists to complete training on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking before obtaining or renewing their permits.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires tattoo operators and artists to take up to one hour of training, at no cost, from a nonprofit organization approved by the Tennessee Human Trafficking Advisory Council before receiving or renewing their permit.
  • Adds questions about recognizing and reporting human trafficking signs to the existing exam for tattoo operators and artists.
  • Makes it mandatory for license holders to complete the same training by December 31, 2028, otherwise their license will be rendered invalid until compliance is met.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tattoo operators and artists in Tennessee
  • The Department of Health

Terms To Know

Human Trafficking
A form of modern-day slavery where people are forced, tricked, or coerced into labor or commercial sex against their will.
Immunity
Protection from legal consequences for certain actions or inactions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a tattoo operator fails to complete the training by the deadline.
  • It is unclear how the Department of Health will enforce compliance with this act.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 19

  2. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/12/2025, 01/01/2026

  3. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 19

  4. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  13. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/3/2025

  14. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/27/2025

  15. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  18. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  19. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 2/26/2025

  22. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  23. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/20/2025

  24. 2025-02-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 2/19/2025

  26. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Commerce Committee

  27. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  30. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  31. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 2/11/2025

  33. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Business & Utilities Subcommittee

  34. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee

  35. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill enacts the "The Ink of Hope Act," which requires
each tattoo operator or tattoo artist, before receiving a permit to operate a tattoo establishment or to apply a tattoo,
to
complete up to one hour of online or in-person training, at no cost to th
e applicant, by a nonprofit organization approved by the Tennessee human trafficking advisory council that focuses on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to respond to those signs, how to refer a client to resources for victims of human t
r
afficking, and reporting signs of human trafficking to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline.

TATTOO OPERATOR/ARTIST EXAMINATION

Present law requires
tattoo operator
s

and
tattoo artist
s
to take and pass an examination before a tattoo a
rtist permit
can
be issued.

The examination
must
be a written examination prescribed by the local health department
. This bill adds that such examination
must include questions on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking
.

RENEWAL OF LICENSE

This bill requires a
person who holds a license as of December 31, 2025, and who is renewing the license
,

to
successfully complete
,
by December 31, 2028, up to one

hour of online or in-person training, at no cost to the applicant, by a nonprofit organiza
tion approved by the Tennessee human trafficking advisory council that focuses on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to respond to those signs, how to refer a client to resources for victims of human trafficking, and reporting signs of h
u
man trafficking to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. If the person fails to complete the course by December 31, 2028, then the department
of health must
render the license invalid until the person complies with this
bill.

IMMUNITY
FOR ACTION OR INACTION

This bill provides that a
person who holds a license
,

and
the employer of that person
,
who
(i)
responds to signs of human trafficking with a client
,

(ii)
refers a client to resources for victims of human trafficking
,
or
(iii)
fails
to respond or refer is
not
civilly or criminally liable for
such
actions or inactions
,
no
r
subject to any action by the department
of health.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 171
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 182
By Littleton

HB0182
000477
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62,
Chapter 38, relative to The Ink of Hope Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "The Ink of Hope Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-38-204(e), is amended by
designating the current language as subdivision (e)(1) and adding the following new subdivision
(e)(2):
(2) In addition to the requirement of subdivision (e)(1), each tattoo operator or
tattoo artist shall, before receiving a permit to operate a tattoo establishment or to apply
a tattoo, complete up to one (1) hour of online or in-person training, at no cost to the
applicant, by a nonprofit organization approved by the Tennessee human trafficking
advisory council that focuses on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to
respond to those signs, how to refer a client to resources for victims of human trafficking,
and reporting signs of human trafficking to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource
Center Hotline.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-38-204(f), is amended by deleting
"local health department" and substituting "local health department and must include questions
on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-38-204, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
( ) A person who holds a license under this part as of December 31, 2025, and
who is renewing the license pursuant to this part shall successfully complete by

- 2 - 000477

December 31, 2028, up to one (1) hour of online or in-person training, at no cost to the
applicant, by a nonprofit organization approved by the Tennessee human trafficking
advisory council that focuses on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to
respond to those signs, how to refer a client to resources for victims of human trafficking,
and reporting signs of human trafficking to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource
Center Hotline. If the person fails to complete the course by December 31, 2028, then
the department shall render the license invalid until the person complies with this
subsection ( ).
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 38, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) A person who holds a license under this part, and the employer of that
person, who responds to signs of human trafficking with a client, refers a client to
resources for victims of human trafficking, or fails to respond or refer is not civilly or
criminally liable for those actions or inactions.
(b) A person who holds a license under this part, and the employer of that
person, who responds, refers, or fails to respond or refer as described in subsection (a)
is not subject to any action by the department because of those actions or inactions.
SECTION 6. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1,
2026, the public welfare requiring it.