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SB0816 • 2026

Consumer Protection

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 39; Title 47 and Title 65, relative to consumer protection.

Active

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

Sponsor
Lowe, Bricken
Last action
2025-04-30
Official status
Effective date(s) 04/11/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of April 11, 2025, was mentioned in the candidate explanation but may need verification from official sources as it's not explicitly stated in the given summary.

Consumer Protection Act Amendment

This bill amends Tennessee's Consumer Protection Act to prohibit false statements indicating that consumers are involved in legal cases to induce them to pay for services or fines.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a rule under the Consumer Protection Act of 1977, making it illegal to falsely tell consumers they are defendants in legal cases and need to pay for services or fines related to these false claims.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Consumers who might be targeted by scams involving fake legal troubles.
  • Businesses that deal with consumer protection laws in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Consumer Protection Act
A law designed to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices.
Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices (UDAP)
Actions that are misleading, fraudulent, or harmful to consumers and violate consumer protection laws.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify penalties for breaking the new rule.
  • It is unclear how this amendment will be enforced by Tennessee authorities.
  • The effective date of April 11, 2025, was mentioned but may need verification from official sources.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0922

Plain English: The amendment adds a new provision to Tennessee law that makes it illegal for businesses to falsely tell consumers they are involved in legal trouble to get them to pay for services or fees.

  • Adds a new subdivision to Section 47-18-104(b) of the Tennessee Code Annotated, making it unlawful to make false statements to consumers about being defendants in lawsuits or criminal cases to induce payments.
  • The amendment text does not specify penalties for violating this new provision.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0816

Plain English: The amendment adds a new provision to Tennessee law that makes it illegal for businesses to falsely tell consumers they are involved in legal trouble to get them to pay for services or fees.

  • Adds a new subdivision to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 47-18-104(b) which prohibits making false statements to consumers about being defendants in lawsuits or criminal cases to induce payments.
  • The amendment text does not specify penalties for violating the new provision.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/11/2025

  2. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 177

  3. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 177

  4. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0185)

  11. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/31/2025

  15. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025

  16. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 3/26/2025

  19. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0089)

  22. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  24. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee

  25. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Commerce Committee

  26. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  27. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  28. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  29. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  31. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  32. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  33. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  34. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 816, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, add as an unfair or deceptive act or practice affecting the
conduct of any trade or commerce and declared unlawful under the Consumer Protection Act of 1977, the m
aking
of
false statements or misrepresentations of fact to a consumer to indicate or imply that the consumer is a party to a civil lawsuit or a defendan
t in a criminal prosecution in order to induce the consumer to pay for services related to the purported lawsuit or prosecution or to pay costs, fines, penalties, or other assessments related to the purported lawsuit or prosecution.
This amendment applies
to
acts occurring on or after the effective date of
the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 922
By Bricken

SENATE BILL 816
By Lowe

SB0816
002685
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 39; Title 47 and Title 65, relative to consumer
protection.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 47-18-2108(b), is amended by
deleting "three (3) business days" and substituting "five (5) business days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.