The new year will kick off with new laws in place in the State of Tennessee. On Jan. 1, 2024, new laws such as the gun safety course law and Abrial’s Law, alongside additional laws addressing alcohol, accessing adult sites, social media, and more will take effect.

As the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, 2025, the laws listed below will take effect:

• Online controls for minors: Two new laws will take effect that give parents more control over their children’s online activity by tightening restrictions on social media accounts and access to adult content. The measures, designed to safeguard minors, include the Protecting Minors from Social Media Act, which requires social media platforms to obtain parental consent before allowing users under 18 to create accounts.
• Bartenders to complete training to identify and prevent sexual assault.
• Law enforcement officers will become eligible to get retirement hazardous duty benefits. Senator Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, said the benefits would be eligible either when employees retire, or when they reach 60 years old. The hazardous duty benefit is added to workers’ retirement allowance as long as they have at least 20 years of service and do not retire due to a disability.