NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — July 1st doesn't just mark the beginning of a new month; it marks a big change for the state of Tennessee. July 1st is when 177 new state laws officially go into effect. They range from the controversial to the mundane. They touch on the topics of education, public safety, and improving traffic.
These are the ones that caught our eye.
Harboring illegal immigrants — It's likely the most controversial new law in this July 1st batch. It makes it a felony to transport or conceal an illegal immigrant from law enforcement. There is worry from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition that this could negatively impact families and nonprofits, but the bill sponsor, State Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) told us in an interview back in May that the law only applies if an individual or group makes money off of "harboring illegal immigrants." There is a lawsuit to block the implementation of the new law.
No cell phones in the classroom — Another new law requires school districts to come up with their own policies that ban cell phones and other internet devices in the classroom unless they're part of the lesson. State Rep. Rebecca Alexander (R-Jonesborough) championed the legislation after reading the book "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt.
More recess for elementary school students — Tennessee will now require elementary schools to provide at least 40 minutes of unstructured exercise each school day. That's up from the previous minimum of 15 minutes per day. Three Clarksville moms pushed for the change after realizing their kids didn't get enough play time at school.
New penalties for threats of mass violence — A new law creates new penalties if someone makes the threat of mass violence against a school, house of worship, government building, or any large public event. This is in addition to another school threat law that went into effect last year.
License revoked for bullying — A new law would allow a judge to sentence someone convicted of bullying or cyberbullying to revoke a child's driver's license. For youth who haven't obtained their driver's license yet, a judge could ban them from getting one for up to a year.
Protest laws — One new law has the goal of minimizing protests from White Nationalists and hate groups. It bans unauthorized banners on highways, bans the use of box trucks to transport people, and allows officers to back up a crowd 25 feet. A different new law creates new misdemeanor offenses if a protest causes a crash or blocks traffic.
Dedicated funding for TDOT — To help TDOT fund more traffic improvement projects, starting July 1st, sales taxes from all purchases of new tires will go straight to TDOT's fund instead of the state's general fund.
Digital vehicle registration — Currently, a Tennessee driver has to have a digital copy of their vehicle registration in the car in case they're pulled over by law enforcement. Starting July 1st, a driver could present that proof digitally.
Release rules for armed defendants — A new law would ensure defendants charged with violent crimes are not released without bail while awaiting trial. The law would establish a presumption that defendants charged with displaying a firearm or an offense that resulted in physical violence should not be released on their own recognizance and shouldn't receive bail.
No abortion pills by mail — A new law would allow for a wrongful death claim to be filed in court if someone has an abortion using medication like Mifepristone or Misoprostol that they received in the mail.
Legal protections for alcohol overdose medical assistance — A new law would expand Tennessee's Good Samaritan Overdose law to include alcohol overdoses in addition to existing legal protections for drug overdoses.
Laser Pointers — A new law criminalizes pointing a laser pointer at a car, boat, or aircraft. Under a previous law, this was only criminalized if the laser was pointed at law enforcement or emergency personnel.
If you'd like to read about all 177 new Tennessee laws, you can find them all right here.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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