House Bill 1112 amends existing Tennessee law regarding weather modification by introducing stricter regulations and penalties for the intentional injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals into the atmosphere with the aim of affecting weather conditions. The bill specifies that state agencies, under the governor's direction, are responsible for studying emergency mitigation related to various environmental factors, including weather modification. The bill also establishes that it is an offense to engage in such weather modification activities or to supply the necessary chemicals for these activities, with the knowledge that they will be used for this purpose.

Additionally, the bill outlines the enforcement mechanisms for these offenses, allowing the attorney general and local district attorneys to investigate credible reports of violations. A violation of the new provisions is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, and violators may face a substantial fine of $100,000 per incident. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to any conduct occurring on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 58-2-116(a), 58-2-116, 68-201-122