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SB0512 • 2026

Consumer Protection

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 47, relative to lighters.

Active

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

Sponsor
Bailey, Capley
Last action
2025-03-21
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/1/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Lighter Safety Law

This law makes it illegal to sell or offer free samples of counterfeit or unsafe lighters in Tennessee starting July 1, 2025.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it against the rules to sell or offer free samples of fake or dangerous lighters after July 1, 2025.
  • Does not stop people from moving these lighters through Tennessee if they are just passing through.
  • Allows warehouses and distribution centers to store unsafe lighters as long as they do not sell them directly to the public.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who make, sell, or give away lighters in Tennessee.
  • Businesses that move or store lighters within Tennessee's borders.

Terms To Know

Counterfeit lighter
A fake lighter that copies another company’s design without permission.
Unsafe lighter
A lighter that does not follow safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to lighters sold or given away in Tennessee, not those just passing through.
  • It is unclear how strictly this new rule will be enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/1/2025

  2. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 20

  3. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 20

  4. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/3/2025

  15. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/27/2025

  16. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  18. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  19. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/24/2025

  20. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 2/26/2025

  21. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 2/18/2025

  24. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  25. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  26. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  27. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee

  28. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee

  29. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  30. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill generally prohibits a person from
offer
ing
for sale, sell
ing
, or offer
ing
a free sample of a counterfeit lighter or unsafe lighter
on or after July 1, 2025
.
However, this prohibition does not apply to (i) the
interstate transportation of counterfeit lighters or unsafe lighters that pass through t
his state; or

(
ii
)
t
he storage of counterfeit lighters or unsafe lighters in a warehouse or distribution center in this state if the warehouse or distribution center is not open to the public for the purposes of retail sale or distribution.
A violation of
this bill
constitutes an unfair or deceptive act prohibited under
Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977
, and is punishable as provided in
that Act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 343
By Capley

SENATE BILL 512
By Bailey

SB0512
001977
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 47, relative to lighters.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
47-18-136.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Counterfeit lighter" means a lighter that infringes on an intellectual
property right of a citizen of the United States or a person who is protected by
federal or state intellectual property law;
(2) "Lighter" means any electrical or mechanical device that operates
using any type of fuel and is intended for use in igniting cigarettes, cigars, pipes,
charcoal or gas grills, or fireplaces; and
(3) "Unsafe lighter" means any of the following:
(A) A disposable or refillable cigarette, cigar, or pipe lighter that
does not comply with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
standard F400-20; or
(B) A utility, grill, or fireplace lighter, or a lighting rod or gas
match, that does not comply with ASTM standard F2201-20.
(b) A person shall not offer for sale, sell, or offer a free sample of a counterfeit
lighter or unsafe lighter.
(c) Subsection (b) does not apply to:

- 2 - 001977

(1) The interstate transportation of counterfeit lighters or unsafe lighters
that pass through this state; or
(2) The storage of counterfeit lighters or unsafe lighters in a warehouse
or distribution center in this state if the warehouse or distribution center is not
open to the public for the purposes of retail sale or distribution.
(d) A violation of this section constitutes an unfair or deceptive act prohibited
under § 47-18-104, and is punishable as provided in this part.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 47-18-104(b), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) Violating § 47-18-136;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to conduct occurring on or after that date.