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SB0837 • 2026

Statutes and Codification

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, relative to certain conditions of personhood.

Technology
Active

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

Sponsor
Pody, Reneau
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Signed by H. Speaker
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's summary text does not provide specific details on how these definitions will be applied in existing laws.

Clarifying Definitions for Personhood in Tennessee

This bill changes how certain terms like 'person,' 'human being,' and 'natural person' are defined in Tennessee laws to exclude artificial intelligence and machines.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of a 'person' to not include things like AI, computer programs, or machines.
  • Defines a 'human being' as an individual member of the species Homo sapiens from fertilization until death.
  • Explains that 'life' means having characteristics such as growth and reproduction, but does not apply to artificial intelligence or machines.
  • Specifies that a 'natural person' is also an individual human being, excluding AI and other non-human entities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use laws involving the terms 'person,' 'human being,' 'life,' and 'natural person.'

Terms To Know

Person
A human individual or a legal entity like a corporation, but not AI or machines.
Human Being
An individual member of the species Homo sapiens from fertilization until death.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these definitions will be used in specific laws.
  • It is unclear what impact this change might have on existing legal cases or future ones involving AI and machines.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0849

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's definition of 'person' to exclude artificial intelligence and other types of machines.

  • Removes the current definition that includes certain entities as persons.
  • Adds a new definition stating that a person includes corporations, firms, companies, or associations but explicitly excludes artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software programs, computer hardware, and any type of machine.
  • The amendment does not specify the exact impact on existing laws or regulations involving AI and machines.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect future legislation regarding technology and legal rights.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0837

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's definition of 'person' to exclude artificial intelligence and other types of machines.

  • Removes the current definition that includes certain entities as persons.
  • Adds a new definition stating that a person includes corporations, firms, companies, or associations but explicitly excludes artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software programs, computer hardware, and any type of machine.
  • The amendment does not specify how the exclusion of machines from the definition of 'person' will affect existing laws or regulations.
  • It is unclear what specific impacts this change might have on legal interpretations involving artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 2, PNV 0

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0979)

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  7. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 6

  13. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0922)

  14. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/8/2026

  16. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  18. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  20. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026

  21. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

  22. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  23. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  26. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  27. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  29. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  30. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  31. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  32. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  33. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to Next Available Calendar

  34. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  35. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  36. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  37. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025

  39. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  40. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  42. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  43. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law establishes numerous rights and responsibilities that apply to persons, human beings, natural persons, and living beings.

This bill specifies that, as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, the terms "person," "life," and "natural person" generally do not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine.

This bill also defines the terms "human being," "life," and "natural person," as such terms are generally used in Tennessee Code Annotated, as follows:

(1) "Human being" means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens, including the unborn human being during the entire embryonic and fetal stages from fertilization to full gestation;

(2) "Life" means the condition that distinguishes animals from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death; and

(3) "Natural person" means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens.

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 837, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, clarify that a "p
erson
," as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not

include
artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 849
By Reneau

SENATE BILL 837
By Pody

SB0837
001744
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1,
relative to certain conditions of personhood.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-105(a), is amended by deleting
subdivision (19) and substituting instead:
(19) "Person":
(A) Includes a corporation, firm, company, or association; and
(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-105(a), is amended by adding
the following new, appropriately designated subdivisions:
( ) "Human being" means an individual living member of the species, homo
sapiens, including the unborn human being during the entire embryonic and fetal stages
from fertilization to full gestation;
( ) "Life":
(A) Means the condition that distinguishes animals from inorganic matter,
including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual
change preceding death; and
(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
( ) "Natural person":
(A) Means an individual living member of the species, homo sapiens; and

- 2 - 001744

(B) Does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a
software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.