TennesseeTennessee law makes deliberate food and medicine tampering a felony
Starting July 1, 2026, intentionally adulterating food, drinks, or certain medicines to cause intoxication, injury, or death is a felony offense.
What it does
The law makes it an offense to add a substance to food, drinks, or medicines intended for people, with intent to cause harm to someone who uses them.
The felony class depends on the intended harm: involuntary intoxication carries a Class D felony, bodily injury a Class C felony, and serious injury or death a Class B felony.
Argument forUsers could be better protected because deliberately adding substances to food, drinks, or medicines to cause harm carries felony penalties.
Argument againstSomeone could face a felony for intending to cause involuntary intoxication, even if the text does not require proof of injury.
More detail
The law makes it an offense to add a substance to certain food, drinks, or medicines with intent to cause specified harm to a user. It covers food or drinks made, sold, grown, or produced for people to consume, and medicines designed, sold, or prescribed to diagnose or treat a disease or medical condition. The person must intend to cause the specified harm to a user. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
The law sets the felony class according to the harm the person intends to cause. These penalties apply to offenses under this section. The offense is a Class D felony if the intended harm is involuntary intoxication, a Class C felony for bodily injury, and a Class B felony for serious bodily injury or death. The section takes effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 1131Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- May 22Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 11Transmitted to Governor for action.To Governor
- May 7Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Enrolled and ready for signaturesMinor
- Apr 30Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 22Concurred, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0976)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0976)Major
- Apr 21Passed H., as am., Ayes 92, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 21Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 20Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 6Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Apr 2Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0711)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/2/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 2Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 2Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Apr 2Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 31Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026
- Mar 16Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
- Vote recorded SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0 3/16/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
- Feb 5Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionMinor
- Feb 2Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationIntroduced
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