HB 1946, the "Curbing Harmful AI Technology (CHAT) Act," prohibits AI chatbots designed to mimic human relationships (called "companion chatbots") from being made available to minors in Tennessee if they could encourage self-harm, illegal activity, secrecy, or unsafe isolation. It requires companies to display clear disclaimers that the chatbot is not human during use and to notify users every 30 minutes. The bill also mandates that AI chatbots detect suicidal thoughts or self-harm expressions and redirect users to crisis services like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This directly affects companies developing or deploying companion chatbots in Tennessee that interact with minors, excluding standard customer service or internal business AI.
SB 2010, the "Regulate Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Act," requires health insurance companies to have licensed healthcare professionals review AI-driven decisions about whether medical care is medically necessary before denying or delaying treatment. It directly affects health insurance issuers - including TennCare, pharmacy benefits managers, and large insurers - that use AI tools for prior authorization decisions. The bill prohibits AI systems from making final medical necessity determinations alone, mandating that licensed providers evaluate each case based on patient history and clinical details. Violations are considered unfair claims practices, allowing affected individuals to sue for damages, including attorney fees, and the law takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 1580 prohibits developers and deployers of artificial intelligence systems from advertising or claiming that their AI can act as a qualified mental health professional. This directly affects AI companies and developers who market their systems to the public. Violations are treated as deceptive practices under Tennessee's Consumer Protection Act, subject to a $5,000 civil penalty per violation. The law defines "artificial intelligence" broadly as systems capable of human-like reasoning and learning.
HB 545 requires Tennessee teachers in grades 6-12 to complete at least one free, department-approved professional development course on using artificial intelligence in classrooms by August 1, 2027, or within two years of their teaching license, whichever comes later. The Tennessee Department of Education must provide at least one self-paced, asynchronous course on AI in teaching, created by STEM-experienced entities, available at no cost to eligible teachers. Schools must approve the course for professional development credit under existing licensure rules. This bill directly affects over 20,000 K-12 teachers in Tennessee through mandatory training on AI integration in education.
HB 1382 requires health insurance companies, HMOs, and programs like TennCare to follow specific rules when using artificial intelligence or algorithms to review treatment requests (utilization management). It mandates that AI tools must base decisions on individual patient medical history and provider recommendations - not group data - and cannot override licensed doctors' evaluations of medical necessity. Insurers must disclose AI use in their policies, regularly review AI performance for accuracy, and ensure tools don’t discriminate or harm patients. This bill directly affects all Tennessee health insurance issuers using AI for treatment reviews, including major programs like TennCare and pharmacy benefits managers.
SB 1346, the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act," creates a civil legal remedy for individuals whose intimate digital images or videos (including deepfakes) are shared without consent. It directly affects people who have had non-consensual intimate depictions - such as images showing genitals, sexual fluids, or explicit acts - disclosed online or otherwise. The law allows victims to sue for $150,000 in liquidated damages, actual damages, or punitive damages, and seek court orders to stop further disclosure. It defines key terms like "deepfakes" and clarifies that consent for creating the image does not cover its sharing, while allowing exceptions for law enforcement or good-faith disclosures. The law took effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 1299, the "Preventing Deepfake Images Act," creates a civil legal remedy for individuals whose non-consensual intimate digital images or videos - whether AI-generated deepfakes or manipulated real likenesses - are shared without their consent. It directly affects victims of such disclosures and those who distribute them, requiring explicit written consent for disclosure (not just creation) and defining "intimate digital depictions" to include explicit images of identifiable people. Key provisions allow victims to sue for up to $150,000 in liquidated damages, actual damages for emotional harm, or recovery of the defendant’s profits, plus attorney fees. Exceptions cover disclosures made in good faith to law enforcement or during legal proceedings, while courts may grant anonymity to plaintiffs.
SB 677 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to provide at least one free, self-paced online professional development course about using artificial intelligence in classrooms for teachers in grades 6-12. Teachers in these grades must complete one department-approved AI training course by August 1, 2027, or within two years of receiving their teaching license, whichever is later. The course must be created by an entity with expertise in STEM fields and can be used to earn required professional development credits. This bill directly affects all public school teachers in grades 6-12 across Tennessee, mandating specific AI training as part of their professional development requirements.
SB 1363 requires Tennessee's Attorney General to report on consumer protection investigations involving AI between January 2024 and December 2025. The report, due by July 1, 2026, must detail how often AI was used in unfair or deceptive business practices affecting trade or commerce, and will be sent to specific legislative committees. It mandates this using existing resources, without creating new enforcement powers. The bill directly affects the Attorney General's office and the House Consumer Protection and Senate Commerce and Labor committees. This is a reporting requirement, not a change to consumer protection laws.
HB 1209 updates Tennessee's Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council by defining "artificial intelligence" as machine systems that make decisions influencing environments, expanding the council's membership from 24 to 24-27 members, and adding requirements for AI expertise among appointees. The bill mandates the council to identify data privacy best practices for state agencies, reference existing AI policies, and compile an annual inventory of state and federal AI-related laws by December 31, 2025. This inventory must assess overlaps, gaps, and alignment with federal frameworks to reduce compliance burdens. The bill directly affects the council, state agencies managing AI systems, and entities developing AI technologies in Tennessee.
