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SB0263 • 2026

State Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 4, relative to state government.

Active

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

Sponsor
Hensley, Rudd
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on the impact of existing international agreements.

Clarifies International Organizations' Lack of Jurisdiction in Tennessee

This law clarifies that international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations have no authority to make rules or mandates for Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • States that the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum do not have jurisdiction in Tennessee.
  • Requires state and local governments not to enforce requirements or mandates issued by these organizations.
  • Prohibits using such requirements or mandates as a basis for action within Tennessee.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The World Health Organization
  • The United Nations
  • The World Economic Forum
  • Tennessee state and local governments

Terms To Know

political subdivision
A part of the government that is smaller than the whole state, like a city or county.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only affects Tennessee and does not change how these organizations work in other places.
  • It's unclear if this will affect international agreements Tennessee has already made.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0318

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill, giving it a specific name.

  • Adds a new section at the end of the bill, naming the act as the 'Anti-Public Health Initiative.'
  • The official text does not provide details about what the 'Anti-Public Health Initiative' entails.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 361

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 361

  4. 2025-05-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 25, PNV 0

  10. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 4/17/2025

  14. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Objected to on Consent Calendar.

  16. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/16/2025

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  20. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 25, Nays 6

  21. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  22. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  23. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  24. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  27. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  28. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  29. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  30. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  31. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  32. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  34. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/19/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/12/2025

  36. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  37. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/12/2025

  38. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  39. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/5/2025

  40. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  41. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  42. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  43. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  44. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  45. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  46. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  47. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  48. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  49. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  50. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  51. 2025-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill clarifies that

t
he World Health
Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum have no jurisdiction in this state. This state and its political subdivisions must not be compelled to enforce, or collaborate with the enforcement of, requirements or mandates issued by the

World Health Organization, the United Nations, or the World Economic Forum.

This bill prohibits r
equirements or mandates issued by the World Health Organization, the United Nations, or the World Economic Forum
from
be
ing
used in this state as a basis for
action, or to direct, order, or otherwise impose, contrary to this state's constitution and the laws of this state, any requirements whatsoever, including those for masks, vaccines, or medical testing, or to gather public or private information about thi
s
state's citizens or residents, and such requirements or mandates have no force or effect in this state or its political subdivisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 318
By Rudd

SENATE BILL 263
By Hensley

SB0263
000248
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 1, Part 4, relative to state government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 4, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic
Forum have no jurisdiction in this state. This state and its political subdivisions must not
be compelled to enforce, or collaborate with the enforcement of, requirements or
mandates issued by the World Health Organization, the United Nations, or the World
Economic Forum.
(b) Requirements or mandates issued by the World Health Organization, the
United Nations, or the World Economic Forum must not be used in this state as a basis
for action, or to direct, order, or otherwise impose, contrary to this state's constitution
and the laws of this state, any requirements whatsoever, including those for masks,
vaccines, or medical testing, or to gather public or private information about this state's
citizens or residents, and such requirements or mandates have no force or effect in this
state or its political subdivisions.
(c) As used in this section, "political subdivision" means a municipality; public
corporation; body politic; authority; district; metropolitan government; county; an agency,
department, or board of such entities; or another form of local government.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.