Tobacco, Tobacco Products - As enacted, specifies that a prospective purchaser of tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor products, or smokeless nicotine products must produce proof of age prior to the sale being made; increases fr, the official text

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State ef J ennessee

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 118

                                                     SENATE BILL NO. 707

                                                             By Massey

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 821

                                                          By Slater, Hawk

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 43, Chapter 27, relative
          to access to age-restricted products.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1504(d), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting the following:

                    (d) Prior to making a sale of, or distributing, tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or
          smokeless nicotine product, a person engaged in the sale or distribution of tobacco, smoking
          hemp, vapor product, or smokeless nicotine product shall demand from the prospective
          purchaser or recipient, and the prospective purchaser or recipient must present to the seller or
          distributor, proof of age, if an ordinary person would conclude on the basis of appearance that
          the prospective purchaser or recipient may be less than fifty (50) years of age. In the case of
          distribution by mail, the distributor of tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or smokeless
          nicotine product shall obtain from the addressee an affirmative statement that the person is
          twenty-one (21) years of age or older, and shall inform the recipient that the person is strictly
          prohibited from distributing any tobacco, smoking hemp, vapor product, or smokeless nicotine
          product, as defined by this part, to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1507(b), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting the following:

                    (b) In any place where supervision of a vending machine, or operation by token is
          required by this section, the person responsible for that supervision or the sale of the token
          shall demand from the prospective purchaser, and the prospective purchaser must present to
          the person responsible for that supervision or sale, proof of age, if an ordinary person would
          conclude on the basis of appearance that the prospective purchaser may be under fifty (50)
          years of age.

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1509(e)(1), is amended by deleting
"twenty-nine (29) years of age" and substituting "forty-nine (49) years of age".

          SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, ~he public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 707

PASSED:  March 24, 2025

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                         '           -- RAN\v McNALLy

                            SPEAKER OF1HE SENATE

                            C -✓/-Tl.

                             CAMERONSEXTON,SPEAKER
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

~ APPROVED this  day of  /\:pr,'l    2025

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                 BILL LEE, GOVERNOR