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Tennessee · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026) · Bill

HB 221: Obscenity and Pornography - As introduced, specifies that a commercial entity that knowingly possesses, promotes, purchases, produces, sells, sends, transports, or distributes obscene matter in violation of state law may be held civilly liable to an individual for nominal damages, actual damages, punitive damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees. - Amends TCA Title 28 and Title 39.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 221 is a bill introduced in the Tennessee House on January 21, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Obscenity and Pornography - As introduced, specifies that a commercial entity that knowingly possesses, promotes, purchases, produces, sells, sends, transports, or distributes obscene matter in violation of state law may be held civilly liable to an individual for nominal damages, actual damages, punitive damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees. - Amends TCA Title 28 and Title 39. Primary sponsor: Jody Barrett (Republican). Most recent recorded action (March 26, 2025): Returned to the Clerk's Desk.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Jody BarrettPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse69

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Returned to the Clerk's Desk.
  2. Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/26/2025
  3. Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to Final Calendar #2
  4. Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/12/2025
  5. Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
  6. Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/5/25
  7. Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025
  8. Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025
  9. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
  10. Sponsor(s) Added.
  11. Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/12/2025
  12. P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

Showing 12 most recent of 15 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source