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SB2095 • 2026

Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, relative to marijuana.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Akbari, Towns
Last action
2026-03-25
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms.

Changing Marijuana Possession Laws

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to increase the amount of marijuana a person can possess without facing criminal charges from half an ounce to five ounces.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the legal limit for possessing marijuana from one-half ounce to five ounces before it is considered a crime.
  • Changes penalties for possession of less than five ounces of marijuana to fines instead of jail time, with $500 for first offenses and $1,000 for subsequent offenses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who possess small amounts of marijuana in Tennessee.
  • Law enforcement officers and courts dealing with marijuana possession cases.

Terms To Know

Class A misdemeanor
A type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than other types of misdemeanors, usually punishable by fines or short jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how it will be enforced.
  • It is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final cal. 4 of Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/7/2026

  3. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 4/1/2026

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  7. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  18. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  19. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  20. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  22. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  23. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2062
By Towns

SENATE BILL 2095
By Akbari
SB2095
011912
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17, relative to marijuana.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-418(b), is amended by
deleting "one-half (1/2) ounce (14.175 grams)" and substituting "five (5) ounces (141.748
grams)".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-418(c)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting the following:
(1) Except as provided in subsections (d) and (e), a violation of this section is a
Class A misdemeanor. Possession of less than five (5) ounces (141.748 grams) of
marijuana is punishable by a five-hundred-dollar fine for a first offense and a one-
thousand-dollar fine for a second or subsequent offense.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-417(g)(1), is amended by
deleting "one-half (1/2) ounce (14.175 grams)" and substituting "five (5) ounces (141.748
grams)".
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.