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SB2481 • 2026

Obscenity and Pornography

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 51 and Title 39, relative to adult-oriented entertainment.

Active

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

Sponsor
Bowling, Fritts
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the consequences for non-compliance with sign requirements.

Changes to Adult-Oriented Entertainment Laws

This bill modifies requirements for signs in adult entertainment establishments and shortens licensing decision notification times.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes specific size and text format requirements for signs at entrances of adult entertainment establishments.
  • Requires new warning signs in adult-oriented businesses that state, 'Attention: By engaging in this type of entertainment, you may be contributing to an increase in domestic assault, rape or sexual assault, and human trafficking,' with 48-point bold type on a white background.
  • Requires similar warning signs for sexually oriented materials stating, 'Attention: By purchasing, borrowing, or using this pornographic material, you may be contributing to an increase in domestic assault, rape or sexual assault, and human trafficking,' adhering to the same style requirements as above.
  • Shortens the time frame for county boards to notify applicants about their licensing decisions from ten days to ten business days.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Adult-oriented entertainment businesses in Tennessee
  • People who visit adult-oriented establishments

Terms To Know

adult-oriented establishment
A place that offers sexually oriented materials or entertainment
licensing decision
The process by which a government agency decides whether to allow an adult business to operate

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how the changes will affect businesses that already have signs up.
  • The bill does not specify what happens if a business fails to follow the new sign requirements.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2314

Plain English: House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.

  • House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2314 Crawford Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2481* House Bill No.
  • 2314 HA1007 015641 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2481

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB2481 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2481* House Bill No.
  • 2314 SA0913 016621 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 1

  2. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Message Calendar 2 for 4/16/2026

  3. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  5. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6

  6. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0913)

  7. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  8. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026

  9. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/15/2026

  11. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  12. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  13. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  14. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 83, Nays 7, PNV 0

  16. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1007)

  17. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  18. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  22. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  23. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  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. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  27. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  30. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  31. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  32. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  34. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  35. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2314, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:

•

Removes the requirement for signs posted at each entrance of the establishment no smaller than 8 1/2" x 11" to have the required language printed in at least 48-point type in boldface, block letters, centered on the sign, and that the letters must be bl
ack on a white background.
•

Changes what must be stated on signs that are posted at each display of sexually oriented material, if an adult-oriented establishment lawfully offers for sale, loan, or use sexually oriented materials, including print, video, and other media, to: "For
Your Information: Production of these materials may contribute to an increase in domestic assault, rape or sexual assault, and human trafficking."
•

Removes the requirement for signs posted at each display of sexually oriented material to be no smaller than 8 1/2" x 11" and that the required language must be printed in at least 48-point type in boldface, block letters, centered on the sign, and that
the letters must be black on a white background.

ON APRIL 15, 2026, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 2314 FOR SENATE BILL 2481, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2314, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions to House Amendment #1:



Requires a sign that says, "Attention: By engaging in this type of entertainment, you may be contributing to an increase in domestic assault, rape or sexual assault, and human trafficking," to be no smaller than 8 1/2" x 11", in 48-point type, in boldface, block letters, centered on the sign. The letters must be black on a white background.



Requires a sign that says, "Attention: By purchasing, borrowing, or using this pornographic material, you may be contributing to an increase in domestic assault, rape or sexual assault, and human trafficking," to also adhere to the same style requirements outlined in the previous bullet point.

ON APRIL 16, 2026, THE HOUSE NON-CONCURRED IN SENATE AMENDMENT #1.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2314
By Fritts

SENATE BILL 2481
By Bowling
SB2481
012259
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7,
Chapter 51 and Title 39, relative to adult-oriented
entertainment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-1107(b), is amended by
deleting "ten (10) days" and substituting "ten (10) business days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.