SENATE BILL 568
By Pody
HOUSE BILL 1155
By Lynn
HB1155
002495
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39;
Title 40; Title 44; Title 47 and Title 53, relative to
cell-cultured food products.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 53, Chapter 7, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following new section:
(a) As used in this section, "cell-cultured food product":
(1) Means a food product intended for use as human food that is
produced without slaughter by growing, in a controlled environment, cells
harvested from species amenable to the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.
§ 601 et seq.) or Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. § 451 et seq.), or
cells harvested from shellfish species or big game, game birds, or fish, as those
terms are defined in § 70-1-101; and
(2) Includes food or a food additive, as those terms are defined in § 53-1-
102, produced in the manner described in subdivision (a)(1) and used as an
ingredient or component in a food.
(b) A person shall not sell or distribute, or import for sale or distribution into this
state, cell-cultured food products.
(c)
(1)
(A) If the commissioner believes that a person is violating or has
violated subsection (b), then the commissioner must notify the person, in
writing, of the violation. The notice must include, at a minimum:
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(i) The information supporting a finding of the violation and
a statement that the person has ten (10) days following service of
the notice to submit a written request for a hearing or the
commissioner's findings become final; and
(ii) A stop sale order, if the finding becomes final in
accordance with subdivision (c)(1)(A)(i) or after a hearing held in
accordance with subdivision (c)(1)(B).
(B) A hearing held pursuant to subdivision (c)(1)(A)(i), and an
appeal from a final decision after a hearing, must be held in accordance
with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4,
chapter 5.
(d) If the commissioner finds that a person violated subsection (b), then:
(1) The person is subject to a fine of one million dollars ($1,000,000); and
(2) The commissioner may revoke the person's permit for a food
establishment if the person, or an employee of the person's food establishment,
is found to have violated subsection (b) in connection with the food
establishment.
(e) In addition to the penalties provided under subsection (d), a cell-cultured food
product that is imported, sold, or distributed in violation of subsection (b) is subject to
forfeiture pursuant to title 40, chapter 33, part 2.
SECTION 2. The department of agriculture shall promulgate rules to effectuate this act.
The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act,
compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.