Official Summary Text
Present law establishes various requirements for adult-oriented establishments, including limits on hours of operation, limitations on physical design of the premises, set back limits from schools and other facilities, and requirements for posting human
trafficking resource center signs. Present law defines "adult-oriented establishment" to mean "any commercial establishment, business or service, or portion thereof, that offers as its principal or predominant stock or trade, sexually-oriented material,
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vices, or paraphernalia or specified sexual activities, or any combination or form thereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded or live and that restricts or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults." This bill redefines "adult-or
iented establishment" to mean "a facility, establishment, business, or service, or portion thereof, that offers sexually oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia; adult cabaret entertainment; or specified sexual activities, or any combination or form
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ereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded, or live, and that restricts or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults."
This bill takes effect May 1, 2025.
ON JANUARY 13, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 884, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 rewrites the bill to, instead, revise the definition of "adult cabaret" for purposes of existing regulation of such establishments. Such regulations include:
Clarification that the opening and closing time limitations placed on adult-oriented establishments do not apply to an establishment or the portion of an establishment that offers only live, stage adult entertainment in an adult cabaret.
Prohibition of an adult cabaret from locating within 1,000 feet of a child care facility, a private, public, or charter school, a public park, family recreation center, a residence, or a place of worship.
Present law defines an "adult cabaret" as a cabaret that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainers. As of May 1, 2026, this bill clarifies that such term includes single per
formance or multiple performances by an entertainer.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 884
By Todd
SENATE BILL 1424
By Hensley
SB1424
001470
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7,
Chapter 51, Part 14, relative to adult-oriented
establishments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-1401(5), is amended by
deleting the following language:
(5) "Adult-oriented establishment" means any commercial establishment,
business or service, or portion thereof, that offers, as its principal or predominant stock
or trade, sexually-oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia or specified sexual
activities, or any combination or form thereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded or live
and that restricts or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults.
and substituting instead:
(5) "Adult-oriented establishment" means a facility, establishment, business, or
service, or portion thereof, that offers sexually oriented material, devices, or
paraphernalia; adult cabaret entertainment; or specified sexual activities, or any
combination or form thereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded, or live, and that restricts
or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect May 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.