Bill > SB1573

This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) Title 39, which deals with criminal offenses, specifically concerning the crime of assisted suicide. The key change is the addition of a new provision that makes it a criminal offense to intentionally advise or encourage another person to commit suicide, provided the person knows the other individual has expressed an intent to end their life and the encouragement is aimed at inciting or aiding them to do so in the near future. This is in addition to the existing offenses of providing the means for suicide or physically participating in the act, all of which require the perpetrator to know the other person intends to die and to have the clear intent for them to do so. The bill also clarifies that assisted suicide is generally a Class D felony, but it becomes a more serious Class C felony if the victim is a minor. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.