Damages

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific penalties or enforcement details, leaving these aspects uncertain.

Liability for Actions of Demonstrators

This bill makes people who pay others to participate in demonstrations responsible if those paid demonstrators break certain laws during the demonstration.

What This Bill Does

• Allows someone who provides compensation to a demonstrator to be held vicariously liable for damages caused by that person's actions during the demonstration, if the demonstrator breaks one of several listed offenses while participating in the demonstration.
• Requires proof that the payer provided compensation and that the demonstrator broke one of the listed laws while participating in the demonstration.
• Does not require evidence of a criminal conviction against the demonstrator to prove liability.
• Gives the attorney general permission to sue people who pay demonstrators if it's believed they might be responsible for the demonstrators' actions.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who provide compensation to others to participate in demonstrations
• Demonstrators who receive payment and break listed laws during a demonstration

Terms To Know

Compensation

Money or other valuable things given as payment for work, including salaries, fees, payments, reimbursements, or any combination of these.

Demonstration

A public gathering where people protest against something or express views on a political issue.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the demonstrator's actions do not meet all elements of one of the listed offenses.
• It is unclear how this law will be enforced and whether it will lead to more lawsuits against people who pay demonstrators.
• The exact penalties for those found liable under this act are not detailed.

Official Summary Text

This bill authorizes a person who provides compensation to a demonstrator in exchange for the demonstrator's participation in a demonstration to be vicariously liable for damages caused by the demonstrator if the demonstrator's conduct, while participati
ng in the demonstration for which the person compensated the demonstrator to participate, satisfies the elements of any of the following offenses:



Riot or aggravated riot.


Disorderly conduct.


Disrupting a meeting, procession, or gathering.


Obstructing a highway or passageway, or disobeying a reasonable request or order to move.


Harassment.


Civil rights intimidation.


Desecration of a venerated object.


Civil disorder.


Disorderly conduct at funerals.


Unauthorized placement of signs or markings.

In order to establish such liability, this bill requires a plaintiff to prove that a defendant provided compensation to a demonstrator in exchange for the demonstrator's participation in a demonstration and that the demonstrator's conduct satisfies the e
lements of one of the offenses listed above. However, a plaintiff is not required to produce evidence of a criminal conviction against the demonstrator who received compensation from the defendant.

ON MARCH 12, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2222, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies, i
n order to establish liability under th
e bill
,
that
a plaintiff
m
ust prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
a
defendant provided compensation to a demonstrator in exchange for participation in a demonstration and that the demonstrator's conduct satisfies the elements of one of the offenses listed in
the bill summary. This amendment also requires
a plaintiff
to
prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
th
e plaintiff suffered an ascertainable loss resulting from the demon
strator's conduct
.

STATE ACTION

If
the attorney general has reason to believe that a person who has provided compensation to a demonstrator may be vicariously liable for the demonstrator's conduct
listed in the bill summary
and that proceedings would be in the public interest,
then this amendment authorizes
the attorney general
to
bring an action in the name of the state against such person for any relief available at law or equity.

The action may be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county where the alleged conduct took
place.

In order to establish liability,
this amendment requires

the state to
prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
a
defendant provided compensation to a demonstrator in exchange for the demonstrator's participation in a demonstration and that the demonstrator's conduct satisfies the elements of one of the offenses listed in
the bill summary. However, the state i
s not required to produce evidence of a criminal conviction against the demonstrator who received compensation from the defendant.

This amendment authorizes t
he court
to
make such orders or render such judgments as the court determines to be in the interest of justice.
If
a judgment is rendered in favor of the state under this
amendment
,
then
the court
must
award reasonable costs, including attorney's fees, to the state.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2222
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2109
By Boyd
HB2109
012118
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29;
Title 38 and Title 50, relative to liability for actions
of demonstrators.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29, Chapter 34, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Compensation" means a salary, fee, payment, reimbursement, or
other valuable consideration, or combination thereof, whether received or to be
received;
(2) "Demonstration" means a public gathering of one (1) or more
demonstrators protesting against something or expressing views on a political
issue; and
(3) "Demonstrator" means a person who takes part in-person in a
demonstration.
(b) Notwithstanding a law to the contrary, a person who provides compensation
to a demonstrator in exchange for the demonstrator's participation in a demonstration
may be vicariously liable for damages caused by the demonstrator if the demonstrator's
conduct, while participating in the demonstration for which the person compensated the
demonstrator to participate, satisfies the elements of one (1) or more of the following
offenses:
(1) Riot under § 39-17-302;
(2) Aggravated riot under § 39-17-303;

- 2 - 012118

(3) Disorderly conduct under § 39-17-305;
(4) Disrupting a meeting, procession, or gathering under § 39-17-306;
(5) Obstructing a highway or passageway, or disobeying a reasonable
request or order to move under § 39-17-307;
(6) Harassment under § 39-17-308;
(7) Civil rights intimidation under § 39-17-309;
(8) Desecration of a venerated object under § 39-17-311;
(9) Civil disorder under § 39-17-314;
(10) Disorderly conduct at funerals under § 39-17-317; or
(11) Unauthorized placement of signs or markings under § 39-17-319.
(c) In order to establish liability under this section, a plaintiff:
(1) Must prove that a defendant provided any compensation to a
demonstrator in exchange for the demonstrator's participation in a demonstration
and that the demonstrator's conduct satisfies the elements of one (1) of the
offenses listed in subdivisions (b)(1)-(11); and
(2) Is not required to produce evidence of a criminal conviction against
the demonstrator who received compensation from the defendant.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies only to acts occurring on or after that date.