(a) As used in this section:

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class E felony1 to 6 yearsup to $3,000
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-16-506

  • Coercion: means a threat, however communicated, to:
    (A) Commit any offense. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Government: means the state or any political subdivision of the state, and includes any branch or agency of the state, a county, municipality or other political subdivision. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Harm: means anything reasonably regarded as loss, disadvantage or injury, including harm to another person in whose welfare the person affected is interested. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Public servant: means a person elected, selected, employed or otherwise designated as one (1) of the following, even if the person has not yet qualified for office or assumed the duties:
    (A) An officer, employee, or agent of government. See Tennessee Code 39-16-501
  • Services: includes labor, skill, professional service, transportation, telephone, mail, gas, electricity, steam, water, cable television, entertainment subscription service or other public services, accommodations in hotels, restaurants or elsewhere, admissions to exhibitions, use of vehicles or other movable property, and any other activity or product considered in the ordinary course of business to be a service, regardless of whether it is listed in this subdivision (a)(38) or a specific statute exists covering the same or similar conduct. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) “Coercion” means a threat, however communicated, to:

(A) Commit any offense;
(B) Wrongfully accuse any person of any offense;
(C) Expose any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule;
(D) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or
(E) Take or withhold action related to the employment of a public servant or a family member of a public servant;
(2) “Employee” includes, but is not limited to:

(A) A person employed by the state or any municipality, county, department, board, commission, agency, instrumentality, political subdivision, or any other entity of the state;
(B) A person employed by a private employer; or
(C) A person who receives compensation from the federal government for services performed for the federal government, notwithstanding that the person is not a full-time employee of the federal government; and
(3) “Employer” includes, but is not limited to:

(A) The state or any municipality, county, department, board, commission, agency, instrumentality, political subdivision, or any other entity of the state;
(B) A private employer; or
(C) The federal government, as to an employee who receives compensation from the federal government for services performed for the federal government, notwithstanding that the person is not a full-time federal employee.
(b) An employer, or an agent of an employer acting on behalf of the employer, commits an offense who by means of coercion:

(1) Influences or attempts to influence an employee who is a public servant to vote or not to vote in a particular manner; or
(2) Influences or attempts to influence an employee who is a public servant to resign as a public servant or unnecessarily recuse themselves from a public body with the intent to influence the action or inaction of a public body.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class E felony.
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