Tennessee SB 1580 (AI can't claim to be a mental health professional)
Tennessee SB 1580 — Prohibition on AI Posing as a Qualified Mental Health Professional
Tennessee · 2026 Tenn. Pub. Ch. 647 (SB 1580); enforced under Tenn. Code Ann. 47-18-101 et seq. (TCPA)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- July 1, 2026
- Applies to
- Persons who develop or deploy AI systems and market or represent them to the public in Tennessee.
- Enforced by
- Tennessee Attorney General / enforcement under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act; private individuals via private right of action.
Tennessee makes it unlawful for anyone who develops or deploys an artificial intelligence system to advertise or represent to the public that the system is, or can act as, a qualified mental health professional. Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. The law authorizes a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation, along with injunctive relief and damages, and includes a private right of action for affected individuals.
Who is protected: Tennessee consumers who might be misled into believing an AI system is a licensed mental health professional.
Legal detail
Public Chapter 647 (SB 1580, 114th G.A.) bars developers and deployers from advertising or representing an AI system as able to act as a qualified mental health professional, enforced as a violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | April 6, 2026 |
| Citation | 2026 Tenn. Pub. Ch. 647 (SB 1580); enforced under Tenn. Code Ann. 47-18-101 et seq. (TCPA) |
| Private right of action | Yes, individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation; treated as an unfair or deceptive practice under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, with remedies including injunctions and damages. |
| Topics | healthcare AI · consumer protection |
| Bill text | Tennessee General Assembly — SB 1580 Bill Information (Public Chapter 647) |
More AI rules in Tennessee
- Tennessee Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act · In effect
- TN SB 151 (2017 AV Act) · In effect
- TN drone trespass / FFUSA · In effect
- Tennessee HB 2163 (AI-generated child abuse images are illegal 'material') · In effect
- Tennessee Information Protection Act (opt out of automated profiling decisions) · In effect
- Tennessee SB 837 (AI is not a 'person' under TN law) · In effect
Related healthcare AI rules elsewhere
- Missouri AI Therapy Chatbot Ban (SB 1019) · In effect
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI Therapy Chatbot Ban (2026) · In effect
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- California AB 489 (AI healthcare chatbot misrepresentation ban) · In effect
- AZ HB 2175 (AI Insurance Denial — Physician Review) · In effect
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