House Bill 99 aims to amend Tennessee's laws regarding unlawful photography by making several significant changes to the penalties and definitions associated with the offense. Key amendments include changing the classification of certain violations from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony, and from a Class E felony to a Class D felony, as well as increasing the penalty for other violations to a Class C felony. Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision that specifies if a minor under thirteen years of age is used by the defendant to facilitate the unlawful photography, it will be treated as a more serious offense.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that individuals convicted of unlawful photography must register as sexual offenders, aligning with the Tennessee Sexual Offender and Violent Sexual Offender Registration Act. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to offenses committed on or after that date. Overall, the bill seeks to strengthen the legal framework surrounding unlawful photography and enhance protections for minors.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-13-605(a), 39-13-605, 39-13-605(c), 39-13-605(d)(1)(A), 39-13-605(d)(2), 39-13-605(d)(3), 40-39-202(20), 40-39-202