At the conclusion of the 114th General Assembly, Tennessee legislators passed SB1413/HB1376, a lengthy bill overhauling the regulation of Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Products (HDCPs). The bill was controversial and while some...more
The 114th Tennessee General Assembly concluded its first regular session on April 22, making it one of the most fast-paced sessions in recent years. Despite this compressed timeline, our government relations team successfully...more
At the end of last year, it seemed like Tennessee’s final hemp-derived cannabinoid (“HDC”) rules would (finally) take effect as scheduled on December 26, 2024. As we discussed in an earlier blog post, since 2023 when the...more
On Tuesday, January 14, Tennessee’s 99 Representatives and 33 Senators gaveled into session for the first official day of business as the state’s 114th General Assembly. Among the first tasks were electing the top leadership...more
The first regular session of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly will convene on Tuesday, January 14 at noon. Members will return fresh off an election cycle that yielded a few new members but no net change in the Republican...more
The 113th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 25, 2024. The session was dominated by debate over the size and scope of the $1.6 billion legislative fix to the state franchise tax that naturally dashed plans...more
Tennessee has enacted the Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, which aims to protect individuals from the use of their persona in connection with “deepfakes” (i.e., fake content generated by artificial...more
The second regular session of the 113th Tennessee General Assembly will convene on Tuesday, January 9 at 12:00 p.m. Central. As members return, details of the recently announced ten-year $15 billion transportation project, as...more
As we’ve noted before, Tennessee is likely to be the last Deep South state to legalize medical cannabis. But given the pace at which states have legalized (38 states plus the District of Columbia), last doesn’t necessarily...more
The 113th General Assembly adjourned its first of two annual regular sessions on April 21, 2023, approximately one month after the Covenant School shooting. Calls for school safety measures and gun control action in the...more
In the First Session of the 113th General Assembly, Tennessee legislators sponsored numerous bills that impacted local governments in some measure. Due to this uptick in legislative activity, the Bass, Berry & Sims Public...more
While it appears likely that Tennessee will be the last Deep South state to legalize medical cannabis (as we wrote about here), it has always been a favorable state for the hemp industry. The Tennessee Legislature just came...more
The Bass, Berry & Sims Government Advocacy & Public Policy team of Erica Vick Penley, Jacob Baggett, and Mallorie Kerby are pleased to announce the passage of SB378/HB403. With Governor Lee’s signature expected but pending,...more
Cannabis has long been a source of inspiration for musicians like Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr. Outlaws like Willie and Hank paved the way for the next generation of country artists to sing their cannabis praises. Margo...more