CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Plenty of new laws will go into effect for Tennessee on Jan. 1, 2026, ranging from protecting victims of domestic violence to giving tattoo artists a new tool to help people in danger.

The “Ink of Hope Act” aims to teach tattoo artists how to recognize certain symbols or “brands” and intervene on behalf of human trafficking victims without putting themselves at risk.

“I’ve wanted to tattoo since I was 8,” Blake Ohrt, the owner of Scout’s Honor Tattoo in Ashland City, told News 2. “I watched somebody when I was really young get a tattoo, and I’ve been super fascinated by it… I just worked really hard my whole life and ended up here.”

Ohrt’s dream for as long as he could remember was to open his own tattoo shop, and now that business is about to celebrate its first anniversary.

“I really hope that people are taking the time and really figuring out who they want to get tattooed by, and maybe doing a little research, making sure that the style is compatible with what you’re wanting to do,” Ohrt said.

However, not everyone who sits in his chair seems willing. He has seen this firsthand a few times.

“People will attempt to set something up for someone else or come in as a pair, and one does the talking and one does not,” Ohrt explained. “Maybe even getting a name of that person and not, you know, I’m not much hearing from the person who’s going to be tattooed.”

When he learned about the “Ink of Hope Act,” he felt it could make a difference.

“Maybe some things that we can catch, like certain specific symbols or maybe placements or things like that, but really, it’s been super big for us,” Ohrt said.

This legislation will require tattoo artists looking to renew their licenses after Jan. 1, 2026, as well as those receiving their first licenses after that date, to watch a one-hour course offered by an approved nonprofit that focuses on human trafficking. Artists who fail to complete that training by Dec. 31, 2028, will have their licenses invalidated until they comply with the law.

“We have to take extra accountability for that and make sure that we’re also consenting for them, so hopefully everybody takes it seriously,” Ohrt told News 2.

For the employees of this Ashland City tattoo shop, it’s their “scout’s honor” to keep the promise to look out for anyone who sits in their chairs. 

A new name has surfaced in Tennessee’s search for a quarterback out of the transfer portal. Anthony Colandrea, who announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Friday, could be an option for the Volunteers.

Tennessee, of course, is waiting on a legal answer from the Diego Pavia lawsuit that Joey Aguilar has joined. However, as things inch closer to the transfer portal opening up on January 2nd, it’s feeling more and more like Tennessee won’t get the answer they’re seeking in time. That’s going to force Josh Heupel’s hand, likely moving in a different direction at quarterback for the 2026 season.

Tennessee has also been linked to Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby and TCU quarterback Josh Hoover. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Colandrea is another name to follow closely.

“Sources have told On3 that UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea is expected to command significant Power Four interest,” Nakos reported on Saturday. “While Florida State has started to surface, sources have cautioned that other schools are heavily in the mix. Keep an eye on Tennessee, too.”

Following the exit of Jake Merklinger, Tennessee is left with two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster — redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon, who is the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2026. Tennessee will be forced to add a third arm to that room in some form or fashion.

Colandrea is coming off of a huge season for UNLV, playing under Dan Mullen. The 6-0, 205 pound quarterback threw for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns this year for the Rebels. He ran for another 649, scoring ten times on the ground. Colandrea spent his first two seasons at Virginia.

Tennessee is clearly evaluating the arms from this portal group as they decide which direction to go. Jim Knowles has plenty of holes that he’s going to have to plug for his year one defense, notably in the secondary and up front on the defensive line. Obviously how much they spend at the quarterback position will go a long way in determining what they can add defensively.

Colandrea may not command as much cash as some of the other top names in the portal, so this could be a nice happy medium for Heupel and company. We’ll see what other names surface over the next several days as the giant game of musical quarterbacks gets underway.