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HB1854 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

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

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Freeman, Campbell
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
Withdrawn.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was withdrawn and its exact effects are not known.

Expanding Laws on Food and Drug Adulteration

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to make it a felony crime to tamper with food, drinks, or medicines in ways that could cause someone to become involuntarily intoxicated.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that adding harmful substances to food, drinks, or medicine to make people involuntarily drunk is now a serious crime called a Class D felony.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who make, sell, or distribute food, drinks, and medicines.
  • Anyone who could be harmed by adulterated products.

Terms To Know

Adulteration
The act of making something bad or harmful by adding unwanted substances to it.
Felony
A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill was withdrawn, so its exact effects are not known.
  • The bill does not specify how the new laws will be enforced or funded.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Withdrawn.

  3. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  4. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  5. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  6. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  7. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  8. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2115
By Campbell

HOUSE BILL 1854
By Freeman
HB1854
009644
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, 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 39-17-107, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a) It is an offense for a person to adulterate any food product or liquid that is
manufactured, marketed, grown, or produced for human consumption or any
pharmaceutical product that is designed, marketed, or prescribed for the diagnosis or
treatment of a disease or medical condition by placing in, mixing with, or adding to the
product or liquid, any object, liquid, powder, or other substance with the intent to cause
the following to a user of the product or liquid:
(1) Involuntary intoxication;
(2) Bodily injury;
(3) Serious bodily injury; or
(4) Death.
(b)
(1) A violation of this section where the person intends to cause
involuntary intoxication is a Class D felony.
(2) A violation of this section where the person intends to cause bodily
injury is a Class C felony.
(3) A violation of this section where the person intends to cause serious
bodily injury or death is a Class B felony.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.