Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text provided does not include details about disseminating smoking paraphernalia which seems unrelated to the main provisions regarding human trafficking and self-defense.

Changes to Criminal Offenses

This bill modifies laws related to human trafficking and self-defense in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

• Presumes a person who uses force against someone committing or attempting to commit human trafficking holds a reasonable belief of imminent death or serious bodily injury when that force is used, if the person using force is the victim of the human trafficking offense.
• Requires individuals claiming to be victims of human trafficking to prove their status with clear and convincing evidence, which can include testimony.
• Defines 'human trafficking offense' for self-defense purposes as including involuntary labor servitude, trafficking persons for forced labor or services, trafficking for commercial sex acts, patronizing prostitution from minors or those with disabilities, promoting the prostitution of minors or individuals with disabilities.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are victims of human trafficking
• Individuals charged with crimes related to human trafficking
• Law enforcement officers dealing with cases involving human trafficking

Terms To Know

Human Trafficking Offense

An act that involves forcing someone into labor or commercial sex acts, promoting prostitution of minors, or patronizing prostitutes who are underage or have disabilities.

Self-Defense

The right to protect oneself from harm when facing an immediate threat.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how the changes will be enforced.
• It is unclear what specific actions are required for disseminating smoking paraphernalia, as this part of the bill seems unrelated to human trafficking and self-defense provisions.

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1225, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following changes to present law:



Provide that a victim of a human trafficking offense using force against a person who is committing or attempting to commit a human trafficking offense is presumed to have held a reasonable belief of imminent death or serious bodily injury to self, family, a member of the household, or a person visiting as an invited guest when that force is used.



Require a person to prove their status as a victim of human trafficking by clear and convincing evidence, and authorize such evidence to be offered through testimony.



For purposes of self-defense, defines a "human trafficking offense" as the commission of an act that would constitute the criminal offense of (i) trafficking a person for a commercial sex act; (ii) patronizing prostitution from a person who is younger than 18, has an intellectual disability, or is a law enforcement officer posing as a minor; or (iii) promoting prostitution of a
person more than 12 but less than 18
or a person with an intellectual disability.



Clarifies that a defendant arrested for the offense of obstructing a highway or passageway must not be released within 12 hours of the time of arrest.

ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1225 FOR HOUSE BILL 1354, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1225, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 removes the first bullet point in the amendment summary above and provides, instead, that a person is presumed to have held a reasonable belief of imminent death or serious bodily injury to self if (i) the person uses force intended or likel
y to cause death or serious bodily injury against an individual who is committing or attempting to commit a human trafficking offense; and (ii) the person using force is the victim of the human trafficking offense being committed or attempted by the indi
vi
dual.

This amendment removes the third bullet and, instead, for purposes of self-defense, defines a "human trafficking offense" as the commission of an act that would constitute the criminal offense of any of the following:



Involuntary labor servitude


Trafficking persons for forced labor or services


Trafficking for commercial sex act


Patronizing prostitution from a person who is younger than 18, has an intellectual disability, or is a law enforcement officer posing as a minor


Promoting prostitution of a person more than 12 but less than 18 or a person with an intellectual disability


Promoting the prostitution of a minor.

ON APRIL 16, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1225
By Rose

HOUSE BILL 1354
By Littleton

HB1354
003358
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37;
Title 39 and Title 40, relative to criminal offenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-411(a), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting instead:
(a) A person who disseminates smoking paraphernalia shall prominently display
in the place where the items are disseminated the sign required pursuant to § 39-17-
1506(a).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.