---
type: "Bill"
title: "Statutes and Codification - As enacted, clarifies that a \"person,\" as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine. - Amends TCA Title 1."
description: "Statutes and Codification - As enacted, clarifies that a \"person,\" as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine. - Amends TCA Title 1."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "114"
identifier: "SB 837"
citation: "Tennessee SB 837 (114)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Statutes and Codification"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Pody"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 30
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2025-02-04"
last_action: "2026-04-28"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/03f5ecbc-bea4-4ae8-9bc2-7621049f6bbc"
source_url: "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB0837&ga=114"
source_hash: "ab342e5b7fb715625e4ad53342942c71cc3d6939ec5cbd37a0e8ff5bc3cf4430"
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 837 (114) — Statutes and Codification - As enacted, clarifies that a "person," as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not include artificial intelligence, a computer algorithm, a software program, computer hardware, or any type of machine. - Amends TCA Title 1.

## Version chain

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

1. **Amendment HA0979** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0979.pdf)
2. **Amendment SA0922** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0922.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0837.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/6/2026 Passed (1) — **26–6** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/8/2026 Passed (1) — **93–2** (pass) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0 3/24/2026 Passed — **8–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Pody — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2025-02-04** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2025-02-10** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2025-02-12** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-19** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025
- **2025-03-24** Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-11** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
- **2026-03-16** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
- **2026-03-16** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026
- **2026-03-17** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026
- **2026-03-18** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
- **2026-03-19** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2026-03-23** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
- **2026-03-23** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026
- **2026-03-24** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0
- **2026-04-02** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026
- **2026-04-06** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2026-04-06** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2026-04-06** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 6 `passage`
- **2026-04-06** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0922)
- **2026-04-08** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2026-04-08** Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 2, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2026-04-08** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0979) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2026-04-08** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2026-04-08** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2026-04-09** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2026-04-14** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2026-04-15** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-23** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-28** Effective date(s) 04/23/2026
- **2026-04-28** Pub. Ch. 781

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/03f5ecbc-bea4-4ae8-9bc2-7621049f6bbc`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).