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HB0540 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to racketeering activity.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Crawford, Haile
Last action
2025-04-29
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 264
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for violations.

Expanding Racketeering to Include Animal Fighting

This law adds animal fighting to the list of crimes that can be considered racketeering activity in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds animal fighting to the definition of 'racketeering activity'.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who engage in animal fighting or related activities
  • Law enforcement agencies that enforce laws against racketeering and animal fighting

Terms To Know

Racketeering activity
A type of criminal behavior involving organized crime, now including the offense of animal fighting.
Animal fighting
The act of forcing animals to fight each other for entertainment or profit.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how this change will be enforced.
  • Does not provide details on the penalties for violating this new law.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 264

  2. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 264

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  11. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 80, Nays 10, PNV 2

  13. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 4/10/2025

  15. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Objected to on Consent Calendar.

  17. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/7/2025

  18. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  19. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/2/2025

  21. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/2/2025

  22. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 0, PNV 2

  26. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/26/2025

  27. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/20/2025

  29. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 3/20/2025

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  31. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/13/2025

  32. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  33. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  34. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/4/2025

  35. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/25/2025

  36. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  37. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  40. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  41. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  42. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that "racketeering activity" means to commit, attempt to commit, conspire to commit, or to aid, attempt to aid, solicit, coerce, facilitate, or intimidate another person to commit
several offenses described by law. This bill adds the offense of animal fighting to the list.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 916
By Haile

HOUSE BILL 540
By Crawford

HB0540
001937
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to racketeering activity.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-12-203(10), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(RRR) Animal fighting under § 39-14-203.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.