HB 1647 Tennessee House · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts "Matthew Davenport's Law," which creates a Class D felony offense of knowingly possessing Kratom; creates a Class B felony offense of knowingly manufacturing, delivering, or selling Kratom, or of knowingly possessing Kratom with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell Kratom; punishes a violation of the offense as a Class A felony if the offense involved the delivery or sale of Kratom to a minor; requires toxicology tests in certain circumstances to include testing for Kratom; requires the commissioner of labor and workforce development to promulgate a rule to add Kratom to the definition of a drug in regard to workers' compensation claims. - Amends TCA Title 33, Chapter 2; Title 38; Title 39; Title 50; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 1647, known as "Matthew Davenport's Law," creates new criminal penalties for Kratom: possessing it becomes a Class D felony, while manufacturing, delivering, or selling it becomes a Class B felony (Class A if sold to a minor). The bill also requires medical examiners to test for Kratom in overdose deaths and physicians to include Kratom in toxicology tests for suspected overdoses or neonatal abstinence syndrome. Additionally, it mandates adding Kratom to the definition of a drug for workers' compensation claims, requiring the labor commissioner to update regulations. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Feb 2, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 21, 2026
Committee
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee - Government Operations for Review
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Committee
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Esther Helton-Haynes
Esther Helton-Haynes
RRepublican
TN
30