SB 2178 Tennessee Senate · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Criminal Offenses - As enacted, increases the penalty for patronizing prostitution from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class B or Class A felony under certain circumstances that are currently punished as trafficking for a commercial sex act. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

SB 2178 increases penalties for buying sex (patronizing prostitution) in specific situations. It upgrades the offense to a Class B felony if the person bought sex from a law enforcement officer posing as a minor or someone with an intellectual disability, and to a Class A felony if the person was a minor under 18. The bill also adds a minimum 7-day jail term and $1,000 fine for buying sex within 1.5 miles of a school. These changes directly affect individuals who engage in buying sex from vulnerable groups or near schools, raising penalties from misdemeanor to felony levels.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action May 18, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
8
Committee
9
Mar 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1
upper
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ken Yager
Ken Yager
RRepublican
TN
12