PRIA Logo™
TennesseeSB 2468114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal conduct.

Sponsored By: Paul Bailey (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Criminal Offenses

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: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.

Worshippers and religious groups gain lawsuit rights

Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible worshippers and house-of-worship owners or operators can sue over covered interference or property damage. Individuals must have been lawfully exercising or seeking religious freedom at the affected house of worship. Courts may award payment for losses or statutory damages of $5,000 per violation. Courts may also order conduct stopped and award punitive damages, reasonable costs, and attorney fees. These awards are available remedies, not guaranteed payments.

Felonies and fines for worship-site offenses

Beginning July 1, 2026, Tennessee makes specified attacks on religious freedom at houses of worship felony offenses. This covers intentional injury, intimidation, or interference—and attempts—using force, threats of force, or physical obstruction. The affected person must be lawfully exercising or seeking religious freedom there. Intimidation means causing reasonable fear of bodily injury; interference means blocking free movement. Physical obstruction means making entry or exit impossible, unreasonably difficult, or hazardous. Intentional damage or destruction of house-of-worship property, including attempts, is also covered. First offenses are Class E felonies; second or later offenses are Class C felonies. Separately, convictions under the covered property-damage law require an added fine when the offense occurs at a house of worship. That fine must be at least twice the house of worship’s resulting property damage or loss and cleaning and restoration expenses.

Worship-site offenders face state civil penalties

Beginning July 1, 2026, Tennessee’s attorney general can sue over covered worship-site interference or property damage. The attorney general must determine that the conduct injured a person or group. The state can seek a court order stopping the conduct and a civil penalty. First-violation penalties are capped at $10,000 without force or threats of force, or $15,000 with either. Second or later violations carry a $15,000 cap; these penalties are not guaranteed payments to injured people.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Paul Bailey

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Rusty Crowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Todd Gardenhire

    Republican • Senate

  • Tom Hatcher

    Republican • Senate

  • Joey Hensley

    Republican • Senate

  • Ed Jackson

    Republican • Senate

  • Adam Lowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Mark Pody

    Republican • Senate

  • Paul Rose

    Republican • Senate

  • Stevens

    Affiliation unavailable

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 151 • No: 70

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 2 BY SALINAS PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2026

Yes: 21 • No: 70

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2026

Yes: 93 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/23/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/23/2026

Yes: 29 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/10/2026

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

    5/27/2026

  2. Pub. Ch. 1140

    5/27/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/22/2026Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    5/11/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    5/7/2026House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/30/2026Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/30/2026Senate

  8. Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 1

    4/22/2026House

  9. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0772)

    4/22/2026House

  10. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/22/2026House

  11. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    3/26/2026House

  12. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/23/2026Senate

  13. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/23/2026Senate

  14. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0, PNV 1

    3/23/2026Senate

  15. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0633)

    3/23/2026Senate

  16. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026

    3/20/2026Senate

  17. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/16/2026Senate

  18. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

    3/10/2026Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

    3/9/2026Senate

  20. Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026

    3/9/2026Senate

  21. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/9/2026

    3/4/2026Senate

  22. Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/10/2026

    3/3/2026Senate

  23. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

    2/25/2026Senate

  24. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

    2/5/2026Senate

  25. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/2/2026Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation