Tennessee House Bills

State Inmates - As enacted, requires by July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter, the commissioner of correction to deliver to the chairs of legislative committees with jurisdiction over the department of correction a report containing data with regard to individuals who may be certified eligible for parole for being chronically debilitated or incapacitated. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41.

Sports - As enacted, makes changes relative to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, including reducing membership on the executive committee from seven to six members; adding to board responsibilities by requiring it to direct the mission of the hall of fame; and making other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 54.

Taxes - As enacted, requires a person using a liquified gas propelled motor vehicle to pay the liquified gas tax on delivery of the liquified gas into the vehicle's fuel supply tank instead of prepaying the tax on an annual basis; eliminates the annual renewal requirement for the liquified gas user permit, instead making it a permanent and valid permit dependent on timely reports and remittance of taxes or until surrendered or canceled; makes other tax-related changes. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 1, Part 18; Title 67, Chapter 3, Part 11 and Title 67, Chapter 6.

Fire Prevention and Investigation - As enacted, creates the rescue squad grant program to provide annual grants to rescue squads for the purchase of firefighting equipment and training; directs the commissioner of commerce and insurance to evaluate grant requests and select grant award recipients each year. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 102.

Trusts - As enacted, makes various changes regarding trusts and wills, including permitting confidential information related to trusts that is contained in court filings, including court orders, to be redacted or filed under seal without a prior court order. - Amends TCA Title 32; Title 35 and Title 67.

Consumer Protection - As enacted, removes the requirement that an assurance of voluntary compliance with the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 be in writing, and filed and subject to the approval of the circuit or chancery court of Davidson County; makes other changes related to consumer protection. - Amends TCA Title 47.

Utilities, Utility Districts - As enacted, clarifies that commissioners for utility districts created pursuant to the Utility District Law of 1937 in Gibson County are not prohibited from serving more than two consecutive terms. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 82, Part 3.

Drugs, Prescription - As enacted, requires the bureau of TennCare to biannually publish two comprehensive statewide data reports on the use of psychotropic medications and the psychotropic medications' associated costs with certain list categories and data points that must be included in each report. - Amends TCA Title 37; Title 68 and Title 71.

Traffic Safety - As enacted, exempts utility terrain vehicles being operated for agricultural purposes from the restriction that such vehicles are authorized to operate only on certain state highways and county roads with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or less. - Amends TCA Section 55-8-185.

State Government - As enacted, clarifies that the four trustees for other post-employment benefits may appoint a designee in their absence. - Amends TCA Section 8-27-801.

Motor Vehicles - As enacted, authorizes enforcement of a garagekeeper's lien on a motor vehicle that was stored for the purpose of repairs without express written authorization from the owner for such storage if the garagekeeper makes a good faith attempt to acquire consent prior to repairs and provides notice to the owner by certified mail. - Amends TCA Title 47; Title 55, Chapter 31 and Title 66, Chapter 19.

Courts, Juvenile - As enacted, expands the goals of zero to three court programs to include cases involving children five years of age or younger, with priority given to cases involving children younger than three years of age. - Amends TCA Title 37.

Human Rights - As enacted, repeals rules transferred from the defunct human rights commission to the attorney general and reporter; clarifies that complaints filed with the attorney general pursuant to a human rights investigation must not be produced for inspection by or disclosed to a person, other than an authorized representative of the attorney general, without the consent of the person who filed the complaint. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 21.

Landlord and Tenant - As enacted, prohibits certain persons from publishing, transmitting, or broadcasting any video of the service of civil process related to an eviction proceeding without the express written permission of the individual being served with civil process; specifies that an individual who is a victim of the publication, transmission, or broadcast of such a video without the individual's permission has a private right of action against the person violating the prohibition. - Amends TCA Title 13; Title 29 and Title 66.

Employees, Employers - As enacted, exempts from the requirement that wages earned by employees in private employment are due and payable no later than the fifth day of the succeeding month those employees who are employed on a piece-work or commission basis, and requires that compensation for such employees is due and payable by the last day of the succeeding month; makes certain other changes relative to employee compensation. - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 2, Part 1.

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - As enacted, clarifies that stuttering and other types of communication disorders are qualifying medical conditions for purposes of the "2021 Precious Cargo Act," which authorizes drivers who have certain medical conditions to apply for a designation in the Tennessee Vehicle Title and Registration System (VTRS) database of a need for assistance in communicating with first responders during traffic stops. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 21, Part 3.

Education, Dept. of - As enacted, allows a local board of education or public charter school governing body that has not received funding from the department for purposes of awarding its teachers the bonus authorized in the Education Freedom Act of 2025 to pass the required resolution and notify the department of the same within 21 calendar days from the date the Act becomes a law, to receive funding from the department to award bonuses to teachers employed in the 2024-2025 school year. - Amends Chapter 7 of the Public Acts of the First Extraordinary Session of 2025.

Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As enacted, revises provisions relating to the production of documents in certain proceedings relating to the retirement of a member of the Tennessee consolidated retirement system (TCRS); revises provisions relating to the temporary reemployment of such a member upon retirement. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 25; Title 8, Chapter 34; Title 8, Chapter 35 and Title 8, Chapter 36.

School Transportation - As enacted, authorizes a school bus that is used exclusively to transport students from school to an after-school program to be used until the bus reaches the 20th year from the in-service date of the bus, or until the bus accumulates 300,000 miles of recorded travel, whichever occurs later; requires the owner of a bus that reaches the later of 20 years of service or 300,000 miles of recorded travel to, at the conclusion of the school year, discontinue use of, or replace, the bus; requires certain notice to, and inspections by, the commissioner for certain buses. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Statutes and Codification - As enacted, codifies the Acts of the 2025 regular and extraordinary sessions. -

Appeal and Review - As enacted, expands when the state may appeal an interlocutory order of a circuit or chancery court. - Amends TCA Title 27, Chapter 1.

Correction, Dept. of - As enacted, requires the department to conduct an annual education assessment of each inmate who is serving a period of confinement for committing a felony offense to ascertain the inmate's highest grade or educational level attained, as well as their interest in continuing, completing, or advancing their education; requires the department to notify such inmates of the educational programming and opportunities available. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 41 and Title 49.

Traffic Safety - As enacted, makes changes to the regulation and prohibition authorized by local governments and state agencies relative to class 1, 2, and 3 electric bicycles in certain locations. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 8.

Regional Authorities and Special Districts - As enacted, adds Claiborne, Union, and Grainger counties to the membership of the North East Tennessee Railroad Authority if certain requirements are met; makes other related revisions. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 56, Part 2 and Title 64, Chapter 2.

Human Services, Dept. of - As enacted, deletes the requirements that the department establish, advertise, and maintain a statewide toll-free telephone line to receive and respond to citizen inquiries and complaints concerning child support collections and disbursements and the department establish satellite offices for the state's central collection and disbursement unit. - Amends TCA Section 36-5-118 and Section 36-5-119.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the Tennessee public charter school commission to June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 49, Chapter 13.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission to June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 70, Chapter 1, Part 2.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the Sequatchie Valley educational development agency to June 30, 2032. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 5.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact to June 30, 2034. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 13, Part 5.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the health facilities commission to June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 68, Chapter 11, Part 2.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the department of agriculture to June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 1 and Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 2.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the committee for clinical perfusionists to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 28.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of podiatric medical examiners to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 3.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of optometry to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 8.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of dispensing opticians to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 14.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of dentistry to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 5.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of communications disorders and sciences to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 17.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the board of chiropractic examiners to June 30, 2031. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 4.

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact to June 30, 2034. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 17.

Comptroller, State - As enacted, adds to the list of companies for which the comptroller of the treasury may assess for taxation, and for state, county, and municipal purposes, all of the properties within the state owned, and all personal property used or leased, motor bus or truck companies, excluding towing companies, that meet certain criteria. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 66 and Title 67.

Jails, Local Lock-ups - As enacted, authorizes the Tennessee corrections institute to establish certification requirements for corrections officers and to inspect and certify local correctional training academies; makes various changes regarding plans of action that may be submitted by a local certified facility following annual inspection; allows the director and full-time employees of the Tennessee corrections institute to carry a handgun under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 38; Title 39 and Title 41.

Secretary of State - As enacted, requires the secretary of state to omit from each annual publication of agency information mailing addresses and telephone numbers of agency members. - Amends TCA Section 10-7-604.

Public Records - As enacted, adds provider reimbursement information that is provided to the comptroller of the treasury to the existing list of examples of proprietary information types that are not subject to disclosure as public records. - Amends TCA Section 71-5-142.

Health Care - As enacted, prohibits a person from developing or deploying an artificial intelligence system that advertises or represents to the public that such system is or is able to act as a qualified mental health professional. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 47 and Title 63.

Portland - Subject to local approval, deletes provisions requiring a referendum to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the city's water or light plant. - Amends Chapter 568 of the Private Acts of 1939; as amended.

Memorials, Interns - Kennedy Havard -

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, authorizes the commissioner of revenue to issue a certificate of exemption to a taxpayer who qualifies for the sales and use tax exemption on qualified building materials used in the construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more qualified, new, or expanded warehouse or distribution facilities in paper or electronic medium. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Food and Food Products - As enacted, prohibits LEAs and public charter schools from selling, offering for sale, or providing to students on school property through a school nutrition program any food or beverage item that contains Allura Red AC; Erythrosine B; Tartrazine; Sunset Yellow FCF; Erioglaucine disodium salt; Indigo carmine; or Fast Green FCF. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Health Care - As introduced, deletes an obsolete section regarding the creation of a task force to study methods on how to best prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes in this state. - Amends TCA Title 53 and Title 68.

State Employees - As enacted, grants eligible state employees mandatory paid leave for fostering a minor child. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8.

Bail, Bail Bonds - As enacted, establishes a presumption that a defendant should not be released on the defendant’s personal recognizance if the defendant is charged with a felony offense that involved the use or display of a firearm or resulted in the serious bodily injury or death of the victim; requires a magistrate who determines that the presumption has been rebutted to include in the bail order written findings for each factor considered in making such a determination. - Amends TCA Title 40.

Education, Curriculum - As enacted, authorizes LEAs and public charter schools to offer students in any of the grades five through 12 a hunter education course that is approved by the wildlife resources agency as part of physical education, health, or safety instruction. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 70, Chapter 2, Part 1.

Education, Curriculum - As enacted, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires each LEA and public charter school to, as part of the social studies curriculum, to present a civics instructional video approved by the state board of education at least once to students in grades six through eight and at least once to students in grades nine through 12. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, allows certain school employees to conduct physical searches of students and searches of vehicles, containers, packages, lockers, or other enclosures used for storage by students or visitors in certain circumstances; narrows, from all threats of violence or significantly disruptive behavior at a public school that are reported to a state or local law enforcement agency to only those first determined by the LEA to be credible, the threats or behavior for which an LEA must notify parents and guardians within 48 hours. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Open Meetings - As enacted, requires a local governing body subject to the open meetings laws to reserve a period of public comment to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on any matter germane to the jurisdiction of the governing body, regardless of whether the matter is listed on the agenda for the meeting. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 44.

Alcoholic Beverages - As enacted, requires a manufacture's license for the manufacturing of alcoholic spiritous beverages or vintage alcoholic beverages issued to or renewed by a manufacturer to authorize the sale at retail a product for which a manufacturer owns the intellectual property rights and that the manufacturer received bottled as imported from Mexico; authorizes the manufacturer to serve certain samples of the product manufactured or distilled at the premises or imported and registered for distribution and sale in this state. - Amends TCA Title 57.

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - As enacted, redefines "hybrid electric vehicle" to clarify that it is a motor vehicle that is propelled by a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power source and components thereof. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4.

Clerks, Court - As enacted, requires a person ordered to use an ignition interlock device to provide the clerk of the court with documentation showing qualifications for certain assistance on the date the person was ordered to use the device to show need to participate in the electronic monitoring indigency fund. - Amends TCA Section 55-10-419.

Criminal Offenses - As enacted, specifies that, in regard to the criminal offense of desecration of a venerated object, "desecrate" includes, but is not limited to, the removal of objects from a place of burial by a person other than a family member of the deceased or an authorized representative of the cemetery. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 46.

Election Laws - As enacted, requires political advertisements to include a disclaimer if the advertisements include deepfake elements impersonating or depicting a candidate engaging in activity or speech in which the impersonated or depicted candidate did not in fact engage; makes a violation of such disclaimer requirement a Class C misdemeanor; entitles candidate to damages and equitable relief for violations. - Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 19.