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HB0849 • 2026

Statutes and Codification

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, relative to certain conditions of personhood.

Technology
Active

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

Sponsor
Reneau, Pody
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Clarifying Definitions for Personhood in Tennessee

This bill changes how certain terms are used in Tennessee laws to exclude artificial intelligence and machines from being considered 'persons,' 'human beings,' or 'natural persons.'

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'person' to exclude artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software programs, and machines.
  • Defines a 'human being' as an individual member of the species Homo sapiens, including unborn humans from fertilization until birth.
  • Explains that 'life' means the state of being alive for animals but does not include artificial intelligence or machines.
  • Specifies that a 'natural person' is an individual human and excludes artificial intelligence and machines.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who work with laws in Tennessee
  • Companies and organizations using AI, algorithms, software, or hardware

Terms To Know

Person
A human being or a legal entity like a corporation but not artificial intelligence.
Human Being
An individual member of the species Homo sapiens, including those in early stages of development.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these changes will be applied or enforced.
  • It is unclear what specific impacts this change might have on existing laws and regulations.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0849

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's definition of 'person' to exclude artificial intelligence and other types of machines.

  • Removes the current definition that includes certain entities as persons.
  • Adds a new definition stating that a person includes corporations, firms, companies, or associations but explicitly excludes artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software programs, computer hardware, and any type of machine.
  • The amendment does not specify how the exclusion of machines from the definition of 'person' will affect existing laws or regulations.
  • It is unclear what specific impacts this change might have on legal interpretations involving artificial intelligence and other technologies.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0837

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's definition of 'person' to exclude artificial intelligence and other types of machines.

  • Removes the current definition that includes certain entities as persons.
  • Adds a new definition stating that a person includes corporations, firms, companies, or associations but explicitly excludes artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software programs, computer hardware, and any type of machine.
  • The amendment does not specify how the exclusion of machines from the definition of 'person' will affect existing laws or regulations.
  • It is unclear what specific impacts this change might have on legal interpretations involving artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 2, PNV 0

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0979)

  7. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  8. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  10. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 6

  12. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0922)

  13. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/8/2026

  14. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  16. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  17. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  18. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  19. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  20. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

  21. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  22. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  23. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  27. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  28. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  29. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  30. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  31. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to Next Available Calendar

  32. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  33. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  34. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  35. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  36. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  37. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  38. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  39. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  40. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  42. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  43. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  44. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law establishes numerous rights and responsibilities that apply to persons, human beings, natural persons, and living beings.

This bill specifies that, as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, the terms "person," "life," and "natural person" generally do not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine.

This bill also defines the terms "human being," "life," and "natural person," as such terms are generally used in Tennessee Code Annotated, as follows:

(1) "Human being" means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens, including the unborn human being during the entire embryonic and fetal stages from fertilization to full gestation;

(2) "Life" means the condition that distinguishes animals from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death; and

(3) "Natural person" means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens.

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 837, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, clarify that a "p
erson
," as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not

include
artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 837
By Pody

HOUSE BILL 849
By Reneau

HB0849
001744
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1,
relative to certain conditions of personhood.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-105(a), is amended by deleting
subdivision (19) and substituting instead:
(19) "Person":
(A) Includes a corporation, firm, company, or association; and
(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-105(a), is amended by adding
the following new, appropriately designated subdivisions:
( ) "Human being" means an individual living member of the species, homo
sapiens, including the unborn human being during the entire embryonic and fetal stages
from fertilization to full gestation;
( ) "Life":
(A) Means the condition that distinguishes animals from inorganic matter,
including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual
change preceding death; and
(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
( ) "Natural person":
(A) Means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens; and

- 2 - 001744

(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.