Criminal Offenses - As enacted, expands the criminal offense of harassment to include harassment that occurs by communicating in the physical presence of the victim, in addition to in writing, by telephone, or electronic, the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 408

                                                      SENATE BILL NO. 28

                                                               By Pody

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 370

                                  By Scarbrough, Lamberth, Powers, Helton-Haynes

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to harassment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(e)(2), is amended by deleting
the subdivision and substituting the following:

                    (2) "Communicate" means contacting a person in the physical presence of the
          person, in writing or print, or by telephone, wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic,
          photooptical, or electronic means, and includes verbal and nonverbal communication, text
          messages, flyers, facsimile transmissions, electronic mail, instant messages, and messages,
          images, video, sound recordings, voice recordings, or intelligence of any nature sent through
          or posted on social networks, social media, or websites;

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 28

PASSED:  April 21, 2025

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                         ,   - RANDl McNALLY

                            SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                            CAMEROtrSEXTON,SPEAKER
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

gtt. Mru1 APPROVED this
         day of              2025

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         ~LLLEE,GOVERNOR