Bill > HB2317

This bill, titled the "Tennessee Anti-Grooming Act," establishes a new criminal offense for grooming a minor, which involves a pattern of conduct directed at a minor with the specific intent to commit or facilitate a sexual offense against them, or to cause them to engage in inappropriate sexual activity. The bill defines "course of grooming conduct" as a series of at least two actions, such as isolating the minor, building dependency through gifts, violating physical boundaries, or introducing inappropriate sexual content, all aimed at achieving a harmful intent. It also outlines specific age and relationship requirements for the offense to apply, differentiating between general grooming and grooming by someone in a "position of authority" (like a teacher or coach) or "position of special trust" (like a babysitter or mentor). The bill clarifies that this law is intended to address preparatory actions and does not prevent prosecution under other laws, while also listing exceptions for lawful activities like sex education, healthcare, or parental conversations, and specifies that a minor's consent or misrepresentation of age is not a defense. The severity of the offense, and thus the potential penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a Class B felony, depends on the specific predicate acts involved and the age of the minor.