NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Starting July 1, Tennesseans will have a brand-new list of laws they’ll have to follow. The Tennessee General Assembly passed hundreds of pieces of legislation regarding gun laws, juvenile crime, education, and protecting victims of domestic violence.
Here are some of the laws that go into effect starting Monday, July 1, 2024.
HB 1600: Guns for certain juvenile offenders
Starting July 1, juvenile offenders who have been convicted of certain crimes will be prohibited from owning a firearm until they turn 25. HB 1600 states juveniles who are adjudicated for aggravated assault, aggravated assault against a first responder or nurse, aggravated cruelty to animals, threats of mass violence, among other offenses will no longer be able to own firearms until they reach 25 years old. The crimes must have been committed when the juvenile was at least 14 years old at the time, according to the law.
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They can petition the court to have their firearm rights restored once they turn 19 years old and at least one year removed from their most recent delinquency adjudication and the completion of any court sentencing like probation.
SB 2576: Required reporting to federal immigration authorities
This law requires all law enforcement authorities in the state to contact federal immigration officials regarding the immigration status of “any individual.” The communication could include reporting knowledge that a “particular alien” is in the country unlawfully. It can also include cooperating with federal authorities in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of “aliens not lawfully present” in the U.S.
SB 1834: Death penalty for child rapists
This controversial measure will allow the state to seek the death penalty for those convicted of aggravated rape of a child. The law would not apply to those with intellectual disabilities convicted of the same crime, however. Additionally, juveniles convicted of the offense would be required to be punished as Range II offenders with a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison
SB 2668: AI-generated images added to anti-child p*rnography laws
As artificial intelligence explodes in popularity, lawmakers added a new category of imagery to the state’s anti-child p*rnography laws: AI-generated images. The law adds computer images, computer-generated images, and images “created, adapted, or modified by artificial intelligence” into the laws already on the books.
HB 1828: Official state books
A list of 10 titles will become official state books in Tennessee, including presidential papers, plays, biographies, and religious texts. The books are:
- “Farewell Address to the American People” – George Washington
- “The Papers of Andrew Jackson” – College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- “Democracy in America” – Alexis de Tocqueville
- “All the King’s Men” – Robert Penn Warren
- “Roots” – Alex Haley
- “The Civil War: A Narrative” – Shelby Foote
- “American Lion” – Jon Meacham
- “Coat of Many Colors” – Dolly Parton
- The Aitken Bible
HB 843: Changes to “Age Appropriate Materials Act of 2022”
School libraries will have to make adjustments to their collections, or else run afoul of changes the legislature made to the “Age Appropriate Materials Act” of 2022.
Before the beginning of next school year, all materials in school libraries must be “suitable for age and maturity levels of the students who may access the materials and must be suitable for, and consistent with, the educational mission of the school,” according to the law.
Materials that contain nudity or “descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence, or sadomasoch*stic abuse” are by law “not appropriate for the age or maturity level of a student in any grades” from kindergarten through high school and “must not be maintained in a school library’s collection.”
Schools will be required to keep a list of all library materials and publish it on the school’s website, and every school board is required to adopt a district policy for developing and reviewing the school library collections.
SB1971: “Abortion trafficking” law
Anyone who provides transportation or plans for transportation of a minor across state lines to receive an abortion will have committed the offense of “abortion trafficking” and subject to criminal and civil consequences.
Those convicted of the new Class A misdemeanor offense will be subject to 11 months, 29 days imprisonment, as well as civil action “on behalf of the unborn child” by the biological parents of the unborn child as well as the parents or legal guardians of the unemancipated minor.
HB 2251: The “Smart Heart Act”
All public schools in Tennessee will now be required to include training in the usage of an automated external defibrillator (AED) in annual requirements. Additionally, all high schools—both private and public—will be required to be equipped with an accessible AED during school hours and while school youth activities are taking place.
The law dictates how each school will be allowed to implement annual athletics emergency action plans (AEAPs) procedures beginning Sept. 1 of this year.
HB 2091: The “ELVIS Act”
Tennessee became the first state in the nation to include vocal protections in name, image, and likeness (NIL) protection laws with the ELVIS Act.
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The Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security (ELVIS) Act of 2024 ensures singers retain property rights over their voice and vocals against illegal infringement. Anyone who knowingly uses someone’s voice without permission is subject to civil action.
HB 1640: “Jillian’s Law”
Named after the 18-year-old killed by a stray bullet in November 2023, “Jillian’s Law” makes changes to how the criminal justice system deals with offenders deemed incompetent to stand trial.
Defendants like the one responsible for Jillian Ludwig’s death would be required to be committed to appropriate treatment facilities under the law, something that was previously not mandated.
