Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the financial impact or changes to current cases.

Changes to Laws About Exposing Others to HIV

This bill changes Tennessee's laws about exposing others to HIV by making it a less serious crime unless someone actually infects another person with HIV.

What This Bill Does

• Makes criminal exposure of another to HIV a Class B misdemeanor instead of a Class C felony, except if the person transmitted HIV to another.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who might be charged with exposing others to HIV
• Courts and law enforcement dealing with cases involving HIV exposure

Terms To Know

Class B misdemeanor

A less serious crime that can result in up to six months in jail or a fine.

Class C felony

A more serious crime that can result in prison time and larger fines.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how it will affect current cases.
• It is unclear if the changes will reduce costs for the state's justice system or public health expenses.

Official Summary Text

Present law pr
ovides that a
person commits the offense of criminal exposure of another to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

when, knowing that the person is infected with HIV, the person knowingly
does any of the following:



Engages in intimate contact with another
.



Transfers, donates, or provides blood, tissue, semen, organs, or other potentially infectious body fluids or parts for transfusion, transplantation, insemination, or other administration to another in any manner that presents a significant risk of HIV

transmission
.



Dispenses, delivers, exchanges, sells, or in any other way transfers to another any nonsterile intravenous or intramuscular drug paraphernalia.

Present law provides that

c
riminal exposure of another to HIV is a Class C felony
, punishable by an
authorized term of imprisonment

not less than three

years nor more than 15 years
and a potential fine
not to exceed

$10,000
. This bill generally lowers the classification to a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by an
authorized term of imprisonment

not great
er than six months
,
a fine not to exceed $500, or both
. However, if the person actually transmitted HIV to another, then such criminal exposure of another to HIV remains a Class C felony.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1106
By Salinas

SENATE BILL 813
By Yarbro

SB0813
001153
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-109(e)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(e)
(1)
(A) Criminal exposure of another to HIV is a Class B
misdemeanor.
(B) Criminal exposure of another to HIV if the person transmitted
HIV to another is a Class C felony.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.