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SB0028 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to harassment.

Active

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

Sponsor
Pody, Scarbrough
Last action
2025-05-15
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how local governments will be affected financially or if there will be an increase in reported cases.

Expanding Harassment Laws in Tennessee

This bill changes Tennessee's law to include harassment that happens when a person is physically present with someone.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'communicate' under harassment laws to include being face-to-face with someone, as well as other forms of communication.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are victims of harassment
  • Law enforcement and courts dealing with harassment cases

Terms To Know

Communicate
Talking to someone in person or through writing, phone calls, or electronic messages.
Harassment
Repeated unwanted behavior that upsets or intimidates another person.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how local governments will be affected financially.
  • It is unclear if this change will lead to more cases being reported or prosecuted.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 408

  3. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 408

  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. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 88, Nays 2, PNV 4

  10. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  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 4/14/2025

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  20. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  21. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  25. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 3

  26. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

  28. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  32. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  33. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  37. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  40. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2025-01-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 370
By Scarbrough

SENATE BILL 28
By Pody

SB0028
000755
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to harassment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(e)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting the following:
(2) "Communicate" means contacting a person in the physical presence of the
person, in writing or print, or by telephone, wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic,
photooptical, or electronic means, and includes verbal and nonverbal communication,
text messages, flyers, facsimile transmissions, electronic mail, instant messages, and
messages, images, video, sound recordings, voice recordings, or intelligence of any
nature sent through or posted on social networks, social media, or websites;
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.