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SB1906 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, relative to the transmission of infectious diseases.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Akbari, Powell
Last action
2026-03-24
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide additional details about the ease of proving innocence in court beyond the affirmative defense provision.

Changes to Laws About Infectious Diseases

This bill adds an affirmative defense for people with HIV who follow their doctor's treatment plan when charged with exposing another person to HIV without telling them.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule that says if someone has HIV and follows the treatment plan given by their doctor, they can use this as proof in court to show they did not break the law.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People in Tennessee who have HIV and follow their doctor’s treatment plan.
  • Anyone charged with exposing another person to HIV without telling them.

Terms To Know

Affirmative defense
A way for someone accused of a crime to show that they should not be punished because they followed the rules and did everything right.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill only affects people with HIV who are following their doctor’s treatment plan.
  • It does not change other laws about infectious diseases or how they are treated.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  3. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  8. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  9. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  12. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  14. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  15. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  16. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  17. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  18. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  19. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 2001
By Powell

SENATE BILL 1906
By Akbari
SB1906
011315
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 13, relative to the transmission of
infectious diseases.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-109(c), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(4) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section, which must be
proven by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person infected with HIV was in
compliance with a treatment regime prescribed by the person's healthcare provider to
medically suppress the risk of HIV transmission.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.