New Tennessee laws go into effect Sunday
(WMC) - A handful of new laws will go into effect Sunday in Tennessee.
Tennessee now has some of the strictest penalties when it comes to combating the opioid crisis.
Starting July 1, doctors who prescribe opioids will face stiffer guidelines and checkpoints before putting their patients on a long-term regimen of opioids.
In some cases, it limits pharmacists from dispensing more than a 20-day supply without proper authorization.
If you frequent a sexually-oriented business like a strip club, that business will now pay a $2 tax every time you visit. That cost could eventually be passed on to customers. The revenue from the tax will go to fund programs for victims of sex trafficking.
Another law aimed at protecting victims of sexual abuse, better defines the term "playground."
When you hear the term, playground you probably think of an outdoor park, but by law, the new definition will restrict sex offenders from any indoor or outdoor facility that is intended for the recreation of children. That could include malls and community centers.
Other laws that go into effect Sunday include a new requirement for bounty hunters to wear clothing that clearly identifies the person as a bounty hunter any time he or she is working.
To protect children with disabilities, a new law prohibits the use of corporal punishment specifically for those students.
Another potentially life-saving law that impacts the classroom is a new requirement for all public high schools to have an automated external defibrillator device.
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