SB 2523 clarifies that knowingly accessing cloud computing services (like email or online storage) for fraud or theft is a criminal offense. It directly affects individuals who misuse cloud accounts for financial gain or data theft, and law enforcement handling such cases. The bill amends Tennessee Code by adding "cloud computing service" to the list of protected systems under existing fraud and theft laws. This update ensures cloud-based services are explicitly covered under current criminal statutes without creating new penalties.
HB 2346, the "Fair Background Check and Due Process Act," prevents consumer reporting agencies from sharing unproven criminal charges (like arrests or pending cases without a conviction) with employers, landlords, or licensing agencies. It allows reporting only for convictions or specific "excluded offenses" (such as theft, fraud, or violent crimes directly related to job safety). The bill directly affects job seekers, renters, and license applicants who face denials based on unproven allegations. It does not stop employers from asking job-related questions or conducting required background checks. The bill is currently pending in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
SB 2628, the "Fair Background Check and Due Process Act," prevents background check companies from reporting unproven criminal charges (like pending cases, dismissals, or non-convictions) to employers, landlords, or licensing agencies, except for specific serious offenses like theft, fraud, or violent crimes. It directly affects job applicants, renters, and license seekers who have arrest records without convictions. The bill requires background checks to only include convictions or excluded offenses, while allowing employers to ask about job-related conduct and conduct required licensing checks. This changes how background checks are conducted for employment, housing, and licensing in Tennessee.
SB 2506, the "Tennessee Fair Chance Housing Act," prohibits landlords and housing providers from refusing to rent or lease housing solely based on a person's criminal history. It limits consideration of criminal records to a 3-year look-back period for misdemeanors and 10 years for felonies (except for sex offenses, which require an individualized safety assessment). Housing providers must conduct an individualized assessment considering factors like the offense severity, time since conviction, rehabilitation efforts, and safety risks before denying housing. This law directly affects renters with criminal records and housing providers managing residential properties across Tennessee.
SB 2308 (Tennessee) removes confidentiality from specific information related to carrying out death sentences, making it public record. It requires disclosure of the names of personnel involved in executions, details about suppliers of lethal injection drugs (excluding addresses/SSNs), and payments made to contractors for execution-related work. The bill directly affects the Tennessee Department of Correction, drug suppliers, and contractors involved in capital punishment procedures. Key provisions mandate public access to this information while exempting sensitive personal identifiers like residential addresses and Social Security numbers. The law aims to increase transparency in death penalty execution processes without altering the death penalty itself.
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Government Transparency
SB 2215, the "PEEPS Act," requires Tennessee police and government entities to obtain a search warrant (not a subpoena) before accessing historical location data (more than 24 hours old) in databases, with limited exceptions like vehicle theft reports or traffic enforcement. It prohibits selling or sharing such data with private third parties, mandates data destruction within 2-7 days (or preservation if requested by a criminal defendant), and requires encryption, access logs, and written security policies. This law directly affects police departments, municipal governments, and any agency collecting location data from sources like license plate readers or cell towers, aiming to limit unwarranted surveillance under the Fourth Amendment.
SB 2097 requires Tennessee's secretary of state to place a specific ballot question on the November 2026 general election ballot asking voters whether the state should legalize medical cannabis sales, possession, and use. This directly affects all Tennessee voters who will cast a yes/no vote on the issue. The bill mandates that county election commissions include the question in the standard ballot format with clear "YES" or "NO" options. Results of this non-binding vote will be reported to the state legislature but will not automatically change state law.
HB 1954 would allow healthcare providers working with correctional facilities to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment, expanding current rules. It specifically modifies Tennessee law to include providers subcontracted through healthcare vendors contracted with the Department of Correction or county/municipal jails, provided other specified criteria are met. The bill amends Sections 53-11-311 and 63 of Tennessee Code to enable this expanded access within correctional healthcare settings. The bill is currently in committee review (as of February 2026) and has not yet become law. It directly affects correctional healthcare providers and incarcerated individuals receiving opioid treatment in Tennessee facilities.
HB 1820 requires any person elected or appointed as a Tennessee constable on or after August 1, 2030, to graduate from a Tennessee POST-approved law enforcement training academy. This requirement does not apply to individuals who have already served one full term as constable and are re-elected to the position after that date. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 8-10-102(a)(1)(F) and related titles to establish this training standard for new constables. It directly affects future constable candidates in Tennessee, excluding re-elected incumbents with prior service. The law takes effect upon becoming law.
SB 1954 revises Tennessee's law for the crime of continuous sexual abuse of a child. It requires that a defendant must have committed three or more incidents of sexual abuse against one or more minor children on separate occasions. At least one incident must have occurred within the county where the charge is filed, and at least one incident must have occurred on or after July 1, 2026. The abuse must also have taken place over a period of at least 30 days, with the law taking effect on July 1, 2026, for acts committed on or after that date.
