01-07-2025
New Tennessee laws on AI deepfakes, lab-grown meat take effect July 1
Scores of new laws take effect Tuesday in Tennessee, touching on everything from AI deepfakes to lab-grown meat.
Why it matters: The measures will reshape elements of health care, education and criminal justice in Tennessee, among many other things.
Zoom in: We've compiled a list of some of the July 1 laws that have gotten attention.
🏠 Immigration: Lawmakers approved legislation creating a criminal penalty for people or organizations that provide shelter for undocumented immigrants. People who do so could be charged with "human smuggling."
The Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and other advocates are suing to block the law in federal court.
Republicans said the bill was designed to fight human trafficking. But the religious leaders argue the law will penalize churches and landlords for offering services to immigrants.
🤝 Good Samaritan law: A new law expands immunity protections for people who seek medical help for themselves or someone else in the face of a possible alcohol or drug overdose. The law previously applied only to drug overdoses.
This expansion allows minors to call for help without fear of being punished for underage drinking.
💰 Payday loans: Loan providers can now charge up to 36% interest on loans of more than $100. The previous limit for smaller loans was 30%.
🥩 Lab-grown meat: Makers of lab-grown meat, or "cell-cultured food product," must now get a permit to sell in Tennessee. Those products cannot be labeled as "meat."
🚗 Family travel: The Tennessee Department of Transportation must have roadside signage alerting drivers if an upcoming rest stop has a single-stall family restroom with enough room for people with disabilities or people who need a caregiver to help them.
TDOT must also list rest stops and welcome centers with those accommodations online.
🍎 Vouchers: Gov. Bill Lee's $447 million plan will expand school vouchers statewide. Under the plan, Tennessee families can apply to use taxpayer dollars to help pay tuition at private schools.
The state has already received tens of thousands of applications.
🧑🧒 Foster care: Support services for foster children who age out of the system are extended until the age of 23, provided that they are working or enrolled in school.
💻 Deepfakes: People who are targeted by AI deepfakes that depict them in sexual situations can now sue creators for damages in civil court.
