PRIA Logo™
TennesseeSB 0869114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, relative to hunting with bait.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Licenses

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Deer bait hunting allowed with paid license

Beginning July 1, 2025, Tennessee allows whitetail deer hunting over bait on privately owned or leased land with a special license. Every hunter hunting over bait must buy and carry this license, even hunters exempt from buying a regular hunting license. Hunters obtain it through the same process as an annual hunting license. Initial fees are $50 per resident hunter and $100 per nonresident hunter; the wildlife commission can adjust them. The wildlife agency can suspend the privilege without refunds and regulate wildlife feeding by county, region, or statewide to prevent disease. It must announce suspensions through a news release. The commission must set rules for allowed bait, bait amounts, and license conditions by August 1, 2026. Violating the hunting restrictions is a Class C misdemeanor.

Hunting method bans keep limited exceptions

Beginning July 1, 2025, the law retains broad bans on methods used to lure, injure, capture, or kill protected wildlife. These include traps, snares, nets, baited hooks, poisons, chemicals, explosives, set guns, lights, and bait, with limited exceptions. Bait means grain or a grain mixture used as food to lure wildlife. Hunters can use spotlights, electric lights, or torches to hunt raccoons, opossums, and frogs. They can also use box traps for rabbits during the open shooting season. Violations are Class C misdemeanors.

Wildlife disease control requires local approval

Beginning July 1, 2025, the wildlife executive director or designated staff can capture or kill wildlife under controlled conditions. They can use chemicals, biological substances, poisons, or devices for science, breeding, enforcement, humane care, rescue, or controlling harmful species. Action against diseases passed from wildlife to humans requires three steps in every affected county. The county health board must declare a threat to human safety, health, or property in an open meeting. An official quarantine must cover all dogs, cats, and pets in the county. The board must then request action from the executive director, with the state health commissioner's agreement. Pets means domesticated animals normally kept in or near their owner's home.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Adam Lowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Stevens

    Affiliation unavailable

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 117 • No: 27

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR 2 PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 76 • No: 18

Senate vote • 4/21/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/21/2025

Yes: 27 • No: 5

Senate vote • 4/15/2025

SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Senate vote • 3/19/2025

SENATE ENERGY, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Yes: 6 • No: 3

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

    5/15/2025

  2. Pub. Ch. 444

    5/15/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/9/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    5/1/2025Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/29/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/28/2025Senate

  8. Passed H., Ayes 76, Nays 18, PNV 2

    4/22/2025House

  9. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0153)

    4/22/2025House

  10. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/22/2025House

  11. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/21/2025Senate

  12. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/21/2025Senate

  13. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 5, PNV 1

    4/21/2025Senate

  14. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0167)

    4/21/2025Senate

  15. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

    4/17/2025Senate

  16. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

    4/15/2025Senate

  17. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

    4/8/2025Senate

  18. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 6, Nays 3 PNV 0

    3/19/2025Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

    3/13/2025Senate

  20. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

    2/12/2025Senate

  21. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

  22. Filed for introduction

    2/5/2025Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation