New Laws Sponsored by Sen. Page Walley Take Effect July 1

Two new laws sponsored by State Sen. Page Walley will take effect July 1, providing new protections for children featured in monetized online content and expanding early childhood mental health services in Tennessee.

One of the new laws establishes safeguards for minors who appear in monetized online content, including family vlogs and other social media platforms. The legislation prohibits children younger than 14 from participating in qualifying compensated content creation, requires a portion of earnings for minors ages 14 to 17 to be placed into a protected trust account, allows minors who independently create content to keep all of their earnings, and gives minors age 14 and older the ability to request the removal of online content featuring their likeness.

Walley said the legislation is designed to ensure children appearing in monetized online content are protected, fairly compensated, and have greater control over their digital footprint.

A second law authorizes the Tennessee Department of Health to establish an early childhood mental health home visiting program for children from birth through age 5 and their families. The program will use an evidence-based home visiting model to promote healthy child development, strengthen family stability, and improve early mental health outcomes.

Walley said the first years of a child’s life are critical to healthy development and that connecting families with evidence-based support early can help improve long-term outcomes for Tennessee children.

Both measures were approved during the 2026 legislative session and take effect July 1.