Tennessee · Senate Bill · 2026 Session
SB1651
Senate Bill 1651 — An Act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 47, relative to regulation of artificial intelligence

Status ● Introduced Effective N/A Passage Likelihood L

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
No enforcement mechanism. The bill directs a study and report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR); it does not create enforceable obligations on private parties.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
No damages or remedies provisions. The bill is a study directive only.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Section 1
TACIR study on AI regulation approaches

(a) 1 The Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations (TACIR) is directed to conduct a study on approaches to the regulation of artificial intelligence, including approaches taken within the United States and by other countries.

(b) 1 All appropriate departments and agencies of this state shall provide assistance to TACIR in connection with the analysis required in subsection (a).

(c) 1 TACIR shall submit a report disclosing the findings of the study and recommendations to the speaker of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian no later than January 1, 2025. The report must include recommended legislative approaches that, based on TACIR's findings from the study required by subsection (a): (1) Provide a range of regulations that vary from the least restrictive to the most restrictive; and (2) Emphasize a regulatory program that is consistent with approaches taken by other states.

Section 1 directs the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study approaches to AI regulation, both domestic and international, and to report its findings and legislative recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2025. It requires all state departments and agencies to assist TACIR with the study. The report must include a spectrum of regulatory approaches from least to most restrictive and must emphasize consistency with other states' programs.

This section creates no private-sector compliance obligations. It is a government-directed study mandate that may inform future substantive AI legislation in Tennessee.

Section 2
Effective date

This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

Section 2 provides that the act takes effect upon becoming law, citing the public welfare as the basis for immediate effectiveness rather than the standard delayed effective date.

Passage Likelihood

Low
Status Introduced
Chamber No passage
Committee No action
Majority party Yes
Bipartisan No
Prior session None

Legislative History

2026-01-14 Filed for introduction
2026-01-15 Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2026-02-24 Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2026-03-03 Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/10/2026
2026-03-10 Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-10 Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
2026-03-13 Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-17 Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-20 Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20
AI generated