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TN SB837: AI excluded from the legal definition of "person"

Official title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, relative to certain conditions of personhood.

Effective Apr 23, 2026 Tennessee · 2025–2026 session

Last verified Oct 8, 2026 · official bill text

SB837 · where it stands

All steps complete
  1. Introduced Complete
  2. Passed first chamber Complete
  3. Passed both chambers Complete
  4. Enacted Complete
  5. Effective Since Apr 23, 2026
What do these statuses mean?
Introduced
Filed in the legislature; may be waiting for a committee hearing.
Passed a chamber
Approved by one or both chambers; awaiting further action.
Enacted
Signed into law, or became law without a signature or over a veto.
Effective date
The date the law says it takes effect. Once it has passed, the page shows "Effective" and the date. A court order can still block a law; if we know of one, the summary says so.
Dead / vetoed
Vetoed, failed, or the session ended without action.

In one paragraph

Tennessee's SB 837 (Public Chapter 781) rewrites the general definition of "person" in the Tennessee Code (§ 1-3-105(a)(20)): a person includes a corporation, firm, company or association, and does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine. As introduced, the bill would also have defined "human being," "life" and "natural person"; a Senate amendment reduced it to the "person" definition. Signed April 23, 2026 (Public Chapter 781); effective on signing.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

No duties for businesses. The Tennessee Code's general definition of "person" now expressly excludes AI, algorithms, software, computer hardware and machines; corporations, firms, companies and associations remain included.

Key provisions

  1. Amends Tenn. Code § 1-3-105(a)(20), the Code's general definition of "person"
  2. "Person" includes a corporation, firm, company or association
  3. "Person" does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine
  4. As introduced, the bill also defined "human being," "life" and "natural person" and said "person," "life" and "natural person" do not include AI; Senate Amendment 1 rewrote it to change only the definition of "person"
  5. Passed the Senate 26-6 (April 6, 2026) and the House 93-2 (April 8, 2026, substituted for HB 849); signed April 23, 2026 (Public Chapter 781); effective on becoming law

Latest legislative action

Apr 28, 2026. Pub. Ch. 781 (signed by the Governor April 23, 2026)

Sponsors

NameRoleDistrict
R Sponsor SD-016
R Sponsor SD-017
R Sponsor SD-010

Roll call votes

H Floor Vote: VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION Apr 8, 2026

93 yea2 nayPassed

S Floor Vote: VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration Apr 6, 2026

26 yea6 nayPassed

S SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0 Mar 24, 2026

8 yea1 nayPassed

Amendments (1)

  • SA0922 Not adopted 2026-03-30

Topics and industries

Related topics

AI Liability

Affected industries

Technology

This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error

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HB2091 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 1 and Title HB1470 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33; Title 47 and Title 63, relat SB1346 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 28 and Title 39, Chapter 17, rel HB825 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to internet safety. SB741 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to criminal offense SB2836 AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 1; Title 55, Chapter

Same topic in other states

Arkansas SB612 TO CREATE A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT CAUSES North Dakota HB1361 AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 8 of section 1-01-49 of the North Dakota Oregon SB 1546 Relating to artificial intelligence companions. New Hampshire HB143 Criminalizing and creating a private right of action for the facilitation, encou Montana HB513 Revise laws related to use of name, voice, and likeness of individuals and penal Idaho H0720 PERSONHOOD – Adds to existing law to provide that environmental elements, artifi