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SB 1296

Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence; creates the criminal offense of posting on a publicly accessible website the telephone number or home address of an individual with the intent to cause harm or a threat of harm to the individual or a member of the individual's family or household. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Tennessee law now criminalizes mass violence threats and doxxing (posting someone's address/phone online to cause harm) with specific statutory penalties for each offense.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 522
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Bill Summary · SB 1296

Legislative bill overview

SB 1296 creates two new criminal offenses in Tennessee: threatening to commit an act of mass violence, and posting someone's phone number or home address online (doxxing) with intent to cause harm. The bill amends Tennessee's criminal code to establish penalties for these offenses.

Why is this important

Mass violence threats and doxxing have become increasingly common in digital spaces, with real-world consequences including harassment, stalking, and violence. This legislation attempts to provide law enforcement with specific statutes to prosecute these behaviors, which previously may have fallen under broader harassment or terroristic threat laws.

Potential points of contention

  • Defining "threat" vs. protected speech: Questions about how prosecutors will distinguish between genuine mass violence threats and hyperbolic speech, satire, or protected political expression, especially given different interpretations of intent
  • First Amendment concerns: Civil liberties advocates may argue the doxxing provision could chill legitimate speech, particularly activism and investigative journalism that involves publishing public records
  • Enforcement challenges: Determining prosecutorial intent to cause harm and establishing the connection between posting information and actual harm may prove difficult in practice
  • Proportionality of penalties: Critics may debate whether the penalties assigned are proportionate, and whether the law adequately distinguishes between reckless posting of information versus coordinated harassment campaigns

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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