---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminal Offenses - As enacted, states that, as used in the offense of stalking, harassment must be committed by the defendant with reckless disregard for whether the victim will suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct and the victim does suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct. - Amends TCA Title 39."
description: "Criminal Offenses - As enacted, states that, as used in the offense of stalking, harassment must be committed by the defendant with reckless disregard for whether the victim will suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct and the victim does suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct. - Amends TCA Title 39."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "SB 1953"
citation: "Tennessee SB 1953 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Criminal Offenses"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Gardenhire"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 18
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2024-01-24"
last_action: "2024-04-17"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/90629238-f57e-4d5f-a444-dd44af06228f"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1953&GA=113"
source_hash: "7f8c6db72e53dbbdb8ebfadebee0f709c9e58cbffec351c87d2aeed0236bc808"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee SB 1953 (113) — Criminal Offenses - As enacted, states that, as used in the offense of stalking, harassment must be committed by the defendant with reckless disregard for whether the victim will suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct and the victim does suffer emotional distress as a result of the conduct. - Amends TCA Title 39.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/SB1953.pdf)

## Votes

- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 2/27/2024 Passed (2) — **8–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 3/4/2024 Passed (1) — **32–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Gardenhire — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-01-24** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2024-01-25** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2024-01-29** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee `passage`
- **2024-02-21** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/27/2024
- **2024-02-27** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2024-03-01** Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/4/2024
- **2024-03-04** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2024-03-04** Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2024-03-07** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2024-03-25** Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2024-03-25** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2024-03-26** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2024-03-27** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2024-03-28** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2024-04-01** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2024-04-11** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2024-04-17** Effective date(s) 07/01/2024
- **2024-04-17** Pub. Ch. 682

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/90629238-f57e-4d5f-a444-dd44af06228f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).