TennesseeTennessee law makes certain suicide encouragement a felony
Tennessee law makes it a Class D felony to intentionally urge or help someone attempt suicide soon, while knowing they have expressed suicidal intent.
What it does
A person commits a Class D felony by intentionally urging or helping someone to attempt suicide soon, while knowing that person has said they intend to die by suicide.
Argument forThe felony penalty could deter people who know someone has expressed suicidal intent from urging them to act soon.
Argument againstPeople may worry that the felony rule could reach a wide range of advice or encouragement, since it applies to words given “in any manner” with the required intent and knowledge.
More detail
The law makes coercive suicide a Class D felony. It applies to anyone who advises or encourages another person to commit or attempt suicide. The person must intentionally advise or encourage the other person to commit or attempt suicide soon, to incite, persuade, or help them do so. The person must know the other person has communicated an intent to die by suicide. The law applies to acts committed on or after 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. 1098Latest
- 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 24Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 22Concurred, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA1218)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 2 BY WILLIAMS PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0572)Minor
- Apr 21H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1218)Major
- Apr 21Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 21Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Mar 12Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Mar 9Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0563)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/9/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Mar 9Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 9Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Mar 6Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/9/2026
- Mar 3Recommended 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 3/3/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
- Jan 22Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Jan 21Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Jan 20Filed for introductionIntroduced
Criminal Justice