NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee General Assembly this week unanimously passed legislation by State Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, to protect Tennesseans from being manipulated into harming themselves.
The Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026, or House Bill 1951, will create the Class D felony offense of coercive suicide, which includes intentionally encouraging or aiding another person to commit or attempt to commit suicide within a certain period of time.
“Coercing someone into ending their life is a cowardly and evil thing to do. Tennessee will never allow these heinous acts to go unpunished,” said Williams. “This proposal honors the life and legacy of Grace Anne Sparks by protecting Tennesseans from exploitation and giving prosecutors additional tools to pursue justice for victims of coercive suicide.”
The legislation is named in honor of Grace Anne Sparks, a 19-year-old girl from Knoxville who shot herself after an Indiana man had manipulated and groomed her for years. The man was communicating with Sparks over video chat, where he encouraged her to place a bullet in a revolver, spin it, and put it to her head to pull the trigger.
The man who coerced Sparks into ending her life was sentenced to two years in prison, the maximum penalty allowed by current law. House Bill 1951 will provide prosecutors with an additional avenue to protect victims and hold offenders accountable by establishing a Class D felony, punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
To be considered coercive suicide, an offender must know that the other person has communicated an intent to commit suicide, according to the legislation.
House Bill 1951 now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law. It will take effect July 1.
State Rep. Ryan Williams represents District 42 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes part of Putnam County.