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Committee advances bill creating civil liability for financiers of violent protest acts
Summary
House Bill 2109 would allow civil suits against entities that pay demonstrators who commit specified offenses; sponsors said law enforcement would investigate and financial records could establish liability, while some members questioned whether paid protesting has occurred in Tennessee.
The Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 2109, a measure that would create civil liability for individuals or entities that pay demonstrators when those demonstrators commit certain offenses such as rioting, aggravated rioting, disorderly conduct or obstruction.
The sponsor said the bill would allow civil recovery where a financier paid demonstrators who then committed enumerated offenses, and that law enforcement and civil discovery could establish payments. "If they do burn a building down or they commit any of these offenses, the financier will be held civilly responsible," the sponsor said, noting the attorney general may bring public‑interest suits.
Members pressed the sponsor on whether there was evidence of paid protesters in Tennessee; Representative Johnson and others said they knew of no confirmed cases in state practice and asked how proof would be obtained. The sponsor said investigative steps could include questioning, arrests and review of financial records.
The committee voted to send the amended measure to calendar and rules; the clerk reported 15 ayes and 4 nos. The bill carries potential civil‑litigation and investigative implications should enforcement events occur in the state.
