(a) An innkeeper has the right to refuse or deny any accommodations, facilities or privileges of a lodging establishment to:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-14-602

  • Alcoholic beverages: has the meaning given in §. See Tennessee Code 68-14-601
  • Controlled substance: has the meaning given in the Tennessee Drug Control Act of 1989, compiled in title 39, chapter 17, part 4. See Tennessee Code 68-14-601
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Innkeeper: means the owner, operator, manager or keeper of a lodging establishment. See Tennessee Code 68-14-601
  • Lodging establishment: means any structure or space, or any portion of a structure or space, that is occupied or intended or designed for occupancy by guests of the lodging establishment for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist camp, tourist court, tourist cabin, motel, bed and breakfast establishment or any place in which rooms, lodgings or accommodations are furnished to guests for a consideration. See Tennessee Code 68-14-601
  • minor: has the meaning given in §. See Tennessee Code 68-14-601
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • sex: means a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Any person who is unwilling or unable to pay for accommodations and services of the lodging establishment. The innkeeper has the right to require the prospective guest to demonstrate the person’s ability to pay by cash, valid credit card or a validated check. The innkeeper may require a parent of a minor to:

(A) Accept, in writing, liability of the guest room costs, taxes, all charges by the minor and any damages to the guest room or its furnishings caused by the minor while a guest at the lodging establishment; and
(B) Provide the innkeeper with a valid credit card number to cover the guest room costs, taxes, charges by the minor and any damages to the guest room or its furnishings caused by the minor; or
(C) If the credit card is not an option, give the innkeeper:

(i) An advance cash payment to cover the guest room costs and taxes for all room nights reserved for the minor; plus
(ii) A fifty-dollar cash deposit towards the payment of any charges by the minor or any damages to the guest room or its furnishings, which cash deposit will be refunded to the extent not used to cover any such charges or any damages as determined by the innkeeper following room inspection at check-out;
(2) Any person who is visibly intoxicated and who is disorderly so as to create a public nuisance;
(3) Any person whom the innkeeper reasonably believes is seeking accommodations for any unlawful purpose, including the unlawful possession or use of controlled substances or controlled substance analogues by such person in violation of the Tennessee Drug Control Act of 1989, compiled in title 39, chapter 17, part 4, or the use of the premises for the consumption of alcoholic beverages by any person under twenty-one (21) years of age in violation of § 1-3-113(b);
(4) Any person whom the innkeeper reasonably believes is bringing into the lodging establishment items or substances that may be dangerous to other persons, such as firearms or explosives; or
(5) Any person when the lodging establishment is acting to restrict the number of persons who shall occupy any particular guest room in the lodging establishment.
(b) The innkeeper refusing or denying accommodations, facilities or privileges of a lodging establishment for any of the reasons specified in subsection (a) shall not be liable in any civil or criminal action or for any fine or penalty based upon such refusal or denial, except that such accommodation, facilities or privilege of a lodging establishment shall not be refused or denied based upon the person’s race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status or age, other than as provided in this part.
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