SB 260
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 4, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Rebecca Chandler | Email: rebecca.chandler@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 260
SUMMARY OF BILL: Defines “mRNA vaccine or vaccine material” as a substance to
stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against disease by introducing mRNA
that corresponds to a viral protein.
Authorizes meat producers to label their products as "mRNA free" or use similar wording, as long
as the animals from which the meat or meat product was derived were not administered an mRNA
vaccine or vaccine material.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Based on information previously provided by the Department of Agriculture (DOA), this
legislation will have no significant impact on the DOA’s food inspection and sampling
programs, as there is no known test for these vaccines in food and no known lab doing this
kind of analysis; therefore, there is no estimated impact on the DOA’s lab operations.
• Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture has not authorized the use of
mRNA vaccines in livestock. As a result, Tennessee is not authorized to allow their
admission. Given this, the labeling of meat products as “mRNA-free” is not expected to
create compliance issues or require additional expenditures for the DOA.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director