HB 2234, the "Stop Rent Rigging Act," prohibits landlords and software providers from using technology to coordinate rental prices across multiple properties. It bans facilitating agreements where landlords avoid competing on rent or using algorithmic tools that collect and analyze pricing data from two or more landlords (who aren’t subsidiaries) to recommend rents or lease terms. The law directly affects residential property owners/managers and companies offering data analytics services that enable coordinated pricing. Violations face penalties matching existing antitrust laws, and the bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2522 prohibits Tennessee banks, credit unions, and savings associations from converting customer funds into digital currencies (including cryptocurrency) without the consumer's express, written consent. The bill requires banks to obtain explicit written authorization before digitizing money held for consumers. Violations could trigger fines of up to $1,000 per incident or allow affected customers to sue for damages, including attorney fees. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 2505 prohibits the operation of virtual currency kiosks in Tennessee by making it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly install, permit, or operate such devices. It directly affects kiosk operators, property owners who allow installations, and anyone managing these terminals. The bill defines "virtual currency kiosk" as an electronic terminal facilitating crypto exchanges (like converting digital currency to cash) and specifies penalties for violations. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to all such activities after that date.
SB 2310 would prohibit Tennessee public schools and charter schools serving grades K-5 from allowing students to use digital devices at school, requiring teachers to use digital devices for instruction, or administering assessments electronically - except for specific cases. The bill directly affects K-5 students and educators in these schools, with key exceptions for public virtual schools, compliance with disability laws (IDEA, Section 504, ADA), and state-mandated assessments like the Tennessee universal screener. It would take effect July 1, 2026, if passed, banning digital device use during instruction and assessments for young students while maintaining existing requirements for disability accommodations and state testing. The bill does not address social media or require schools to remove devices from classrooms entirely, only restricting their use for instruction and assessments.
SB 2251 would make it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly install, operate, or permit a virtual currency kiosk (a machine that exchanges digital money like Bitcoin for cash) in Tennessee. It directly affects businesses running these kiosks and property owners who allow them on their premises. The bill defines a "virtual currency kiosk" as an electronic terminal facilitating such exchanges and specifies that violations carry misdemeanor penalties. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, applying to actions occurring on or after that date.
HB 2393 prohibits Tennessee public schools serving kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) from allowing students to use digital devices at school, requiring teachers to use devices for instruction, or administering assessments electronically. The law directly affects K-5 students and educators in local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools. Key exceptions include compliance with disability laws (IDEA, Section 504, ADA), public virtual schools, and state-mandated assessments like universal screeners or dyslexia screenings. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not ban device use for all purposes but restricts it in core instructional and assessment contexts for young learners.
SB 2321 prohibits distributing manipulated election-related media (like AI-generated videos or audio) within 90 days of a state or local election if it falsely depicts a candidate or political party. It requires clear disclosures (e.g., "This media was AI-generated") for such content, with specific size/duration rules for visual media and audio. Violators face civil penalties up to $10,000, but the law excludes news broadcasts (with proper disclosure), satire, and publications that explicitly state the content is not authentic. The bill directly affects candidates, political committees, social media platforms, and media distributors during election periods. Exceptions ensure news coverage and parody remain protected.
SB 1912 requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to adopt internet acceptable use policies that include student safety protocols, parental communication guidelines, and strict limits on accessing harmful content (like pornography, violence, or self-harm material). It specifically bans schools from creating email addresses for pre-K-5 students that allow them to send or receive emails, though schools may use email addresses as security data points. The bill mandates annual audits to ensure compliance and requires digital resource providers to filter harmful content and remove inappropriate materials within one business day of a school's request. This directly affects all Tennessee public schools and pre-K-5 students by restructuring how internet safety and digital access are managed.
SB 1571 modifies Tennessee's anatomical gifts law to allow genome sequencing data collected during federally compliant clinical trials or biomedical research to be stored outside the U.S. or remotely accessed by foreign adversaries. This exception applies specifically to data gathered under federal rules (28 CFR Part 202) and directly affects researchers and institutions conducting such studies in Tennessee. The bill adds this exception to existing regulations governing how anatomical gift data may be handled. It does not change other aspects of the law or impose new requirements on data storage.
SB 1990, the "Stop Rent Rigging Act," prohibits rental property owners and managers in Tennessee from using or facilitating algorithmic tools that coordinate pricing across multiple properties. The bill bans software or data services that collect rental data from two or more landlords (excluding affordable housing programs), analyze it, and recommend prices or lease terms to them. It also prohibits landlords from adjusting their own rents based on such recommendations. The law, effective July 1, 2026, targets coordinated pricing practices that reduce competition in the residential rental market.
