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HB1371 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, relative to unlawful exposure.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Chism, Akbari
Last action
2025-05-15
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 432
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify an effective date, only that it takes effect July 1, 2025.

Unlawful Exposure Law

This law makes it illegal to distribute private intimate images of another person with intent to cause emotional distress.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee's laws about distributing private, intimate photos or videos.
  • Makes it a crime if someone distributes an image that was meant to be kept private, even if they were not part of the original agreement to keep it private.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who distribute private intimate images without permission.
  • Victims whose private intimate images are distributed without consent.

Terms To Know

Unlawful Exposure
Distributing a private, intimate image of another identifiable person with intent to cause emotional distress.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if there is no clear agreement about keeping an image private.
  • It's unclear how this law will be enforced in specific situations.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 432

  2. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 432

  4. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 2

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  13. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  14. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/17/2025

  15. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  16. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  17. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/17/2025

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2025

  19. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  20. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  22. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025

  23. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 4/2/2025

  27. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/26/2025

  28. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/26/2025

  29. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  32. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  33. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  34. 2025-03-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/10/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  36. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  37. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  39. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  44. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 586
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 1371
By Chism

HB1371
000420
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17, relative to unlawful exposure.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-318(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) The image was photographed or recorded under circumstances where the
parties agreed or understood that the image would remain private, regardless of whether
the person who distributes the image was a party to the agreement or understanding;
and
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.