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SB2133 • 2026

Animal Cruelty and Abuse

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2, relative to cruelty to animals.

Agriculture Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Haile, Martin G
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how cases of accidental starvation will be handled, nor does it specify if there will be additional funding for law enforcement.

Law Against Starving Livestock Animals

This law makes starving livestock animals to death a serious crime if done in a cruel way without any good reason.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds starvation resulting in the death of a livestock animal as a Class E felony under aggravated cruelty laws, provided it is done in a depraved and sadistic manner with no justifiable or lawful purpose.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who own or are responsible for livestock animals
  • Law enforcement agencies that handle animal cruelty cases

Terms To Know

Livestock Animal
Farm animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, and goats.
Aggravated Cruelty
A serious crime involving the mistreatment of an animal in a cruel way.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how to handle cases where starvation is accidental or due to negligence.
  • It's unclear if there will be additional funding for law enforcement to enforce this new law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  7. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  16. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  24. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  25. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  26. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  28. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  29. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2263
By Martin G

SENATE BILL 2133
By Haile
SB2133
011103
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 14, Part 2, relative to cruelty to animals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-14-217(b), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(b) Except as provided in subsections (d) and (e), a person commits aggravated
cruelty to a livestock animal who, in a depraved and sadistic manner, intentionally:
(1) Starves the livestock animal to death without justifiable or lawful
purpose; or
(2) Engages in any of the conduct described in subdivisions (c)(1)-(12),
the conduct results in serious bodily injury to the animal or the death of the
animal, and is without justifiable or lawful purpose.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.