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SB0616 • 2026

Food and Food Products

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53, relative to food products.

Active

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

Sponsor
Kyle, Towns
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details on enforcement or penalties for violations.

Ban on Selling Food with Live Vaccines

This bill makes it illegal to sell or offer for sale any food that contains live vaccines in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule to the law that says you cannot sell or offer to sell food that has live vaccines in it.
  • Defines what 'live vaccine' means: it is a weakened form of virus or bacteria intended for use in humans to stimulate antibody production and provide immunity against diseases.
  • Makes this new rule part of Tennessee's laws about food safety and products.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Food sellers who might have live vaccines in their products
  • People buying food that could contain live vaccines

Terms To Know

Live vaccine
A weakened form of a virus or bacteria intended for use in humans to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against diseases.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen if someone breaks this new rule.
  • It is unclear how many food products currently contain live vaccines in Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Withdrawn.

  2. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  3. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  4. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  5. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee - Health Committee

  6. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  7. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  8. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 928
By Towns

SENATE BILL 616
By Kyle

SB0616
002515
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47,
Chapter 18 and Title 53, relative to food products.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 53-1-103(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(16) The sale or offering for sale of any food that contains a live vaccine.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 53-1-102, is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:
( ) "Live vaccine" means a weakened form of a virus or bacteria intended for
use in humans to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against
disease;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.