SB 171 - HB 182
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 1, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Chris Higgins | Email: chris.higgins@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 171 - HB 182
SUMMARY OF BILL: Enacts the Ink of Hope Act. Requires each tattoo operator or tattoo
artist, before receiving a permit to operate a tattoo establishment or to apply a tattoo, to complete
up to one hour of online or in-person training by a nonprofit organization approved by the
Tennessee Human Trafficking Advisory Council (Advisory Council) that focuses on how to
recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to respond to those signs, how to refer a client to
resources for victims of human trafficking, and reporting signs of human trafficking to the
Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline.
Requires a person who holds a tattoo license as of December 31, 2025, and who is renewing such
license, to successfully complete the approved online or in-person human trafficking training by
December 31, 2028. Requires the Department of Health (DOH), after December 31, 2028, to
render an individual's tattoo license invalid until the individual completes the required training.
Requires the license examination for a tattoo operator or tattoo artist to include questions on
recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking.
Establishes that a licensed tattoo artist, and their employer, who responds to signs of human
trafficking with a client, refers a client to resources for victims of human trafficking, or fails to
respond or refer is not civilly or criminally liable for those actions or inactions, and is not subject to
any action by DOH because of those actions or inactions.
For the purpose of promulgating rules, takes effect upon becoming a law. For all other purposes,
takes effect January 1, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• According to information provided by DOH, the department can make the necessary
changes to tattoo licensing examinations and procedures utilizing existing personnel and
resources.
• Any fiscal impact to the Advisory Council to approve a nonprofit organization to provide
human trafficking training is assumed to be not significant.
• The proposed legislation establishes that the required human trafficking training must be at
no cost to the tattoo applicant.
• It is assumed that a nonprofit organization will make human trafficking training available to
tattoo operators and artists at no cost to the state; therefore, any fiscal impact is estimated
to be not significant.
SB 171 - HB 182 2
IMPACT TO COMMERCE:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumption:
• The proposed legislation will not result in any significant impact to jobs or commerce in
Tennessee.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director