NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WVLT / WTVF): Things change in Tennessee as the new year arrives. These new laws are in effect from January 1, 2021:
- Anyone who buys cigarettes, spray products or other tobacco items must be at least 21 years old. The law previously allowed anyone over the age of 18 to buy tobacco.
- Changes to the AMBER alert system will take effect. The new system allows AMBER alerts to be issued for people under 21 years of age. The AMBER Alert system was previously only used for people over 18 years of age.
- Rights for pregnant women in the workplace have been expanded. The Equity for Pregnant Workers Act allows women to apply for more accommodations at work.
- New legislation is enacted that allows statewide 911 operators to provide CPR instructions to callers in the event of an emergency. Prior to January 1, not all counties allowed 911 operators to give CPR instructions to users.
The general assembly will meet again on January 12 with a special session on education to be held a week later, according to WTVF.
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