https://ailawwiki.com/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=News_Tennessee_Healthcare_AI_Bill_SB_1580_2026News Tennessee Healthcare AI Bill SB 1580 2026 - Revision history2026-04-29T13:31:46ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.40.1https://ailawwiki.com/index.php?title=News_Tennessee_Healthcare_AI_Bill_SB_1580_2026&diff=142&oldid=prevAILawWikiAdmin: Migration export2026-04-28T02:34:16Z<p>Migration export</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>The '''Tennessee Healthcare AI Bill''' ([[SB 1580]]) is legislation signed by Governor [[Bill Lee]] on '''April 1, 2026''', that prohibits persons who develop or deploy artificial intelligence systems from advertising or representing to the public that such systems can act as a qualified mental health professional.<ref name="troutman">[https://www.troutmanprivacy.com/2026/04/tennessee-enacts-health-care-ai-bill-with-private-right-of-action/ Troutman Privacy, "Tennessee Enacts Health Care AI Bill With Private Right of Action," April 2026]</ref><ref name="changeflow">[https://changeflow.com/govping/healthcare/tennessee-bans-ai-as-mental-health-professional-private-righ-2026-04-03 ChangeFlow, "Tennessee Bans AI as Mental Health Professional," April 3, 2026]</ref><br />
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== Key Provisions ==<br />
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The law applies to AI systems defined as "models and systems capable of performing functions generally associated with human intelligence, including reasoning and learning."<ref name="troutman"/> It prohibits both '''developers''' and '''deployers''' of AI systems from advertising or representing that such systems are or can act as a qualified mental health professional.<br />
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During committee hearings, bill sponsor Senator Page Walley clarified that the law still allows qualified mental health professionals themselves to use AI as a tool.<ref name="troutman"/><br />
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The law references Tennessee's existing Title 33 definition of "qualified mental health professional," which includes psychiatrists, physicians with psychiatry expertise, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, marital and family therapists, psychiatric nurses with master's degrees, and professional counselors.<ref name="troutman"/><br />
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== Penalties and Enforcement ==<br />
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Violations constitute unfair or deceptive acts under the '''Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977''', subject to civil penalties of '''no more than $5,000 per violation'''.<ref name="troutman"/><ref name="changeflow"/><br />
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The law includes a '''private right of action''', allowing individuals to bring civil lawsuits against violators. Available remedies include restraining orders, injunctions, and damages.<ref name="troutman"/><ref name="changeflow"/><br />
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== Timeline ==<br />
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* '''January 12, 2026''': Bill introduced<ref name="fastdemocracy">[https://fastdemocracy.com/bill-search/tn/114/bills/TNB00058362/ FastDemocracy, "TN SB 1580"]</ref><br />
* '''February 9, 2026''': Passed the Senate (32-0)<ref name="fastdemocracy"/><br />
* '''March 16, 2026''': Passed the House (94-0)<ref name="fastdemocracy"/><br />
* '''April 1, 2026''': Signed by Governor Lee; assigned Public Chapter Number 647<ref name="fastdemocracy"/><br />
* '''July 1, 2026''': Law becomes effective<ref name="troutman"/><br />
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== Significance ==<br />
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This law is among the first in the United States to specifically regulate AI representation in the mental health context and is notable for including a private right of action, which gives consumers a direct enforcement mechanism rather than relying solely on government enforcement.<br />
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== Related Legislation ==<br />
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See also [[News Tennessee-AI-Personhood-Bill-SB-837-2026|Tennessee AI Personhood Bill (SB 837 / HB 849)]], companion legislation that would exclude AI from the definition of "person" under Tennessee statutory construction.<br />
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== References ==<br />
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[[Category:State Legislation]]<br />
[[Category:Tennessee]]<br />
[[Category:Healthcare AI]]<br />
[[Category:Chatbot Regulation]]<br />
[[Category:Consumer Protection]]</div>AILawWikiAdminhttps://ailawwiki.com/index.php?title=News_Tennessee_Healthcare_AI_Bill_SB_1580_2026&diff=316&oldid=prevAILawWikiAdmin: Migration export2026-04-28T02:34:16Z<p>Migration export</p>
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