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

HB0821 • 2026

Tobacco, Tobacco Products

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 43, Chapter 27, relative to access to age-restricted products.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Slater, Massey
Last action
2025-04-08
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 118
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or compliance rates, leaving these aspects uncertain.

Age Verification for Tobacco Products

This law changes how sellers must verify a buyer's age before selling tobacco products like cigarettes, vaping devices, and smokeless nicotine items.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires buyers to show proof of age if they appear younger than 50 years old when buying tobacco or vapor products.
  • Updates vending machine regulations to match the new age verification requirements.
  • Adds rules for mail-order sales, requiring recipients to confirm they are at least 21 years old and agree not to give these items to anyone under 21.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who sell or distribute tobacco products
  • Customers buying tobacco products

Terms To Know

Proof of age
A document like a driver's license that shows how old someone is.
Vapor product
An electronic device used to inhale vapor, often containing nicotine.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if someone refuses to show proof of age.
  • It is unclear how strictly the new rules will be enforced or how many people will comply with them.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 118

  2. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 118

  4. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  13. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/24/2025

  14. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/20/2025

  16. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  17. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  18. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/17/2025

  19. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  21. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/12/2025

  22. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  24. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  25. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  26. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  28. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  29. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  30. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 707
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 821
By Slater

HB0821
002484
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17 and Title 43, Chapter 27, relative to
access to age-restricted products.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1504(d), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting the following:
(d) Prior to making a sale of, or distributing, tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor
product, or smokeless nicotine product, a person engaged in the sale or distribution of
tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or smokeless nicotine product shall demand
from the prospective purchaser or recipient, and the prospective purchaser or recipient
must present to the seller or distributor, proof of age, if an ordinary person would
conclude on the basis of appearance that the prospective purchaser or recipient may be
less than fifty (50) years of age. In the case of distribution by mail, the distributor of
tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or smokeless nicotine product shall obtain from
the addressee an affirmative statement that the person is twenty-one (21) years of age
or older, and shall inform the recipient that the person is strictly prohibited from
distributing any tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or smokeless nicotine product,
as defined by this part, to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1507(b), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting the following:
(b) In any place where supervision of a vending machine, or operation by token
is required by this section, the person responsible for that supervision or the sale of the
token shall demand from the prospective purchaser, and the prospective purchaser must

- 2 - 002484

present to the person responsible for that supervision or sale, proof of age, if an ordinary
person would conclude on the basis of appearance that the prospective purchaser may
be under fifty (50) years of age.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1509(e)(1), is amended by
deleting "twenty-nine (29) years of age" and substituting "forty-nine (49) years of age".
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.