Tennessee Bills

Public Records - As introduced, specifies that certain information related to the carrying out of a sentence of death is not confidential and is open to public inspection. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7.

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, requires a blood bank to comply with a physician's order for an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation for a specific patient; requires a hospital to allow a patient who is scheduled for a medical procedure to provide an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation upon order of a physician. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 32.

Solid Waste Disposal - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Secondary Aluminum Waste Management Act." - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 62, Chapter 9 and Title 68.

Safety - As introduced, requires newly installed storm drains and culverts constructed after July 1, 2026, to be equipped with a safety cover or grate if the opening is large enough that a child could reasonably fall into or become trapped within the structure. - Amends TCA Title 12 and Title 68.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates a rebuttable presumption that a license or renewal should be denied by the board of nursing if the applicant or licensee has a conviction for certain alcohol-related offenses that involved injury to another person. - Amends TCA Title 63.

State Employees - As introduced, creates a procedure for a state employee who has reasonable cause to suspect that improper government conduct or a crime has occurred to report the matter to a supervisor and for the supervisor to report that information to the attorney general and reporter. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 50.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, excludes from the definition of a public swimming pool subject to regulation in the same manner as a hotel or public swimming pool by the department of health any privately owned, controlled-access, above-ground swimming pool that is installed indoors at a fitness facility and used only by facility staff and students for the purpose of swimming instruction if the pool meets certain criteria. - Amends TCA Title 68.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, reduces from 15 to 10 days, the time within which a person licensed to provide deferred presentment services must file a written report with the commissioner of financial institutions following the occurrence of the filing for bankruptcy or reorganization; the institution of revocation or suspension proceedings by any state or governmental authority; the denial of the opportunity to engage in deferred presentment services by any state or governmental authority; any felony indictment or conviction of the licensee or any of its directors, officers, or principals; and other events that the commissioner may determine and identify by rule. - Amends TCA Title 45 and Title 47.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, requires the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners to create and maintain a student identification number for each applicant accruing instructional hours; prohibits the board from using a student's social security number as a public-facing identifier of the person. - Amends TCA Title 62, Chapter 3 and Title 62, Chapter 4.

Public Contracts - As introduced, requires a tire manufacturer or supplier responding to a solicitation to bid with this state, or who has an existing contract with this state, to indicate each tire, by product, and material number, that is manufactured with 100 percent French process zinc oxide. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9 and Title 12.

Water Authorities - As introduced, establishes that public water systems have a maximum allowable hardwater level of 180 mg/L, measured as calcium carbonate equivalents; creates compliance and reporting requirements; exempts measurements that exceed the limit due to seasonal runoff in certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7.

Taxes, Real Property - As introduced, redefines "movable structure" for purposes of classification and assessment of property so that a mobile home or other movable structure that is used as a residence or apartment must be used permanently as such instead of temporarily or permanently. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Landlord and Tenant - As introduced, states that unlawful detainer actions are confidential and shielded from public inspection if the action was filed on or after July 1, 2026, the case was dismissed by the court or a party, an appeal is not pending in the case, and three years have passed since the date the action was filed or the parties have agreed in writing to shield the records from public disclosure. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 29, Chapter 18 and Title 66.

Sheriffs - As introduced, prohibits the county legislative body of a county with a charter form of government from adopting a budget that reduces the budget for the sheriff below the budgeted amount for the previous fiscal year unless the reduction is approved in writing by the sheriff; authorizes a sheriff to approve or disapprove a budget amendment that would reduce personnel, operational, or capital expenditures below the level proposed by the sheriff; authorizes the county legislative body to override the sheriff's disapproval by a two-thirds vote. - Amends TCA Title 5, Chapter 1, Part 2; Title 5, Chapter 9, Part 4 and Title 8, Chapter 20, Part 1.

Notary Public - As introduced, requires the secretary of state to appoint notaries public to commissions in this state; prescribes additional requirements to be commissioned as a notary public in this state. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 16 and Title 23.

Immigration - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Private Workplace Due Process and Warrant Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8; Title 38; Title 50; Title 62 and Title 66.

Animal Control - As introduced, requires the owner of a dangerous dog to register the dangerous dog with the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept for a period of three years, restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash or in a secure enclosure, and obtain liability insurance coverage; establishes a public dangerous dog registry. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 44.

Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, prohibits a utility that provides electric, water, wastewater, or natural gas services from increasing the rate charged to customers who are 65 years of age or older upon notice that the customer qualifies for such rate cap pursuant to an age verification process established by the Tennessee public utilities commission (TPUC) by rule; requires notification to customers of the rate cap program within 90 days of a final rule; authorizes TPUC to promulgate a rule to develop an age verification and notification process. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 64; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68.

Traffic Safety - As introduced, authorizes the seizure and impoundment of a motor vehicle used in drag racing, based on probable cause, for a maximum of 72 hours; authorizes owner of motor vehicle to contest seizure in administrative or judicial hearing. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7; Title 16; Title 40 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 5.

Workers Compensation - As introduced, enacts the "Zero Estimated Exposure Policy Act." - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 6.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, requires health benefit plans entered into, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for services related to acquired brain injury; requires the commissioner of commerce and insurance to promulgate rules to provide a process for an expedited appeal of an adverse determination related to such coverage. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires state and local criminal justice agencies to share all criminal justice data and records, including relevant personally identifying information and demographic information, held by that agency with a bona fide researcher for the purpose of facilitating and promoting criminal justice research. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 38.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts the "Safe Highways and Roads Enforcement (SHARE) Act," which requires the court to assess an additional fine against a person convicted of a moving traffic violation or driving under the influence of an intoxicant; requires the additional fines be deposited into the state highway fund. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 55.

Lottery, Scholarships and Programs - As introduced, allows a student who was ineligible for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship as an entering freshman based on their high school grade point average or composite ACT score to regain their eligibility for the HOPE scholarship as a transfer student if the student meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, allows a court to issue an extreme risk protection order upon a finding by clear and convincing evidence that a person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to the person or others if allowed to possess or purchase a firearm; authorizes a law enforcement officer or relative to file a petition for an extreme risk protection order; creates an offense to store or keep a firearm in any place unless the firearm is secured in a locked container, unloaded, and separate from ammunition except when the firearm is carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user; prohibits a gun dealer from delivering a firearm to a purchaser until 15 business days after the completion of certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 38 and Title 39, Chapter 17.

Civil Procedure - As introduced, revives causes of action based on a sexual assault that occurred when the injured party was 18 years of age or older and are time-barred because the applicable statute of limitations has expired; allows such actions to be commenced within a certain time period. - Amends TCA Title 28, Chapter 3; Title 39 and Title 40.

State Government - As introduced, requires state departments and agencies to submit annual reports on achieving economic efficiency to the governor in addition to committees of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8 and Title 9.

Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, permits a professional bondsman to issue and retain the required receipt for money or other consideration received in a digital format. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 11.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, requires, if the respondent on an order of protection dispossesses firearms by transferring possession to a third party who is not prohibited from possessing firearms, the respondent to specify the third party and the physical address where all firearms are located on the affidavit of firearms dispossession form; requires the third party to sign the affidavit of firearms dispossession form to acknowledge receipt of the firearms. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6.

Lottery, Scholarships and Programs - As introduced, expands eligibility for a dual enrollment grant to include students who are sophomores in high school and admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, specifies that for purposes of carrying out a sentence of death, lethal injection protocol may include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl. - Amends TCA Title 40.

Memorials, Recognition - National Health Facility Surveyor Week -

Memorials, Recognition - AARP Tennessee Day on the Hill, March 16-17, 2026 -

Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to Article XI, Section 12 of the Constitution of Tennessee to establish that parents have the inherent right to direct the education of the parent's child; prohibits the state from interfering with such rights through the adoption or enforcement of any law or rule that abridges, infringes upon, or restricts a parent's right to provide home-based education. -

Campaigns and Campaign Finance - As introduced, authorizes the use of campaign funds for the payment of fines, fees, and penalties assessed for the violation of campaign finance or ethics laws. - Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 10.

Ethics - As introduced, prohibits a person from acting as an agent of a hostile foreign principal unless the person has filed a registration statement with the Tennessee ethics commission; requires each foreign-supported political organization to register with the Tennessee ethics commission. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 6 and Title 4.

Welfare - As introduced, directs TACIR to conduct a study into homelessness and ways to combat the rise of homelessness; requires TACIR to file the report with the health and welfare committee of the senate, the committee in the house of representatives with jurisdiction over matters pertaining to homelessness, and the legislative librarian before January 31, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 71.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, applies the sales and use tax to advertising services purchased by or on behalf of a business entity that generates annual revenue in amount equal to or greater than $100 million. - Amends TCA Title 67.

Housing - As introduced, encourages municipalities to study and assess housing affordability and inventory availability, and to adopt a pattern book for purposes of encouraging the construction of medium-density housing. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7 and Title 13.

State Government - As introduced, enacts the "Safe Access to Schools and Child Services Act," which prohibits the following entities from conditioning enrollment, attendance, or receipt of services for a child under 18 on the disclosure of the child's immigration status, except as explicitly required by federal or state law or court order: a county, municipality, or branch or agency thereof; public utility, utility district, entity created pursuant to any interlocal agreement, or any other political subdivision thereof; LEA, public school, or public charter school; and state board, commission, committee, department, office, or other unit of state government; clarifies that the prohibition does not limit compliance with federal immigration law or limit cooperation with federal authorities as required by law. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 37; Title 49; Title 68 and Title 71.

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Dept. of - As introduced, adds the legislative librarian to the list the department of mental health and substance abuse services must submit its quarterly report to on the implementation and impact of available suitable accommodations, including the number and length of any delayed admissions, in state owned or operated hospitals or treatment resources. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 52; Title 63 and Title 68.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates the Tennessee council for research of deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearing children. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 49; Title 68 and Title 71.

Zoning - As introduced, reduces from 21 to 14 calendar days, the duration of the notice that a chief governing body must provide to the public before holding a public hearing to adopt a zoning ordinance or amendment. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 67.

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, enacts the "The Frank J. Lake III Act"; requires a long-term care ombudsman for an assisted-care living facility to notify all residents of such facility if the facility contacts the ombudsman; directs the health facilities commission to post a certain specified notice on the commission's website if an assisted-care living facility is placed on probation; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 11.

Probate Law - As introduced, permits a petitioner or affiant to proceed pro se in the administration of a small estate if the personal property consists exclusively of one or more life insurance policies that do not exceed $15,000 in value and are intended to be used for the decedent's burial, funeral, or final expenses; specifies that a person who files for a small estate affidavit or limited letters of authority is deemed to be acting in an individual capacity; requires the court clerk to provide a standardized form for filers. - Amends TCA Title 30; Section 56-7-206 and Title 62, Chapter 5.

Health Care - As introduced, requires TennCare to create a methodology to make medicaid facility fee reimbursement rates for birthing centers comparable to rates for similar services provided at a hospital; requires the department of health to give priority to allocating federal rural health transformation program grant funds to birthing centers in rural counties and urban counties that serve residents of rural counties. - Amends TCA Title 68 and Title 71.

Nurses, Nursing - As introduced, reduces from 30 to 15 days the period following an election of the officers of the board of nursing within which the executive director must certify to the governor the names of the officers elected; reduces from 30 to 15 days the period following a vacancy in any office or in the board of nursing within which the executive director must certify such vacancy to the governor. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 33; Title 38; Title 53; Title 55; Title 63 and Title 68.

Dentists and Dentistry - As introduced, changes from at least five years to at least six years, the period of residency and practice in this state that each of the two dental hygienist members appointed to the board of dentistry on or after July 1, 2026, must have prior to such appointment. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56; Title 63, Chapter 5; Title 68 and Title 71.

Medical Occupations - As introduced, reduces from 45 to 35 days, the amount of time the board of physician assistants has to either render a decision on a licensure application submitted by an individual licensed, registered, or certified as a physician assistant in another jurisdiction or inform the licensure applicant from another jurisdiction of the need to appear before the board. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 24; Title 33; Title 38; Title 49; Title 53; Title 55; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68; Title 71 and Chapter 1042 of the Public Acts of 2024.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, requires the clerk of the court in which a person charged with a violent felony and for whom a biological specimen is taken for the purpose of DNA analysis to submit the clerk's notification to the TBI of the final disposition of the criminal proceeding against the person in writing. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 6; Title 39 and Title 40.

Jails, Local Lock-ups - As introduced, requires the monthly report of the warden of a county workhouse for each prisoner placed under a work release program to be filed with the judge by whom the prisoner was sentenced on or before the fifteenth day of the month immediately following the reporting period. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 40 and Title 41.

Regional Authorities and Special Districts - As introduced, authorizes the board of directors of the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency to file annual reports electronically. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 14; Title 4, Chapter 31; Title 7; Title 13; Title 64; Title 66; Title 67 and Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 2024.

Children's Services, Dept. of - As introduced, changes the caseload requirement for case managers in the department from a monthly average of 20 active cases or 20 children monitored to a cap of no more than 12 active cases involving no more than 12 families or 20 children monitored; requires the department to resolve each active case within 12 months and a status review hearing to be held if the case is not resolved within 12 months. - Amends TCA Section 37-5-132.

Safety - As introduced, requires an air medical communication specialist to be certified within six months of employment by certain listed certified flight programs. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 140.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, during a five-year period, authorizes excise and franchise tax credit for businesses that make monetary contributions to eligible charitable organizations approved by the governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56 and Title 67, Chapter 4.

Food and Food Products - As introduced, requires retail food stores and food service establishments to provide notice to consumers of whether fish is imported and whether it is farm-raised or wild fish. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 53 and Title 68.

State Government - As introduced, requires state departments and agencies to submit annual reports on achieving economic efficiency to the governor in addition to committees of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8 and Title 9.

Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, permits a professional bondsman to issue and retain the required receipt for money or other consideration received in a digital format. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 11.

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to develop and implement a suicide prevention program; requires the department to submit a report to legislative committees with jurisdiction over health-related matters on this program and any suggestions from the department based upon the research conducted from the previous calendar year. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

State Government - As introduced, reduces from 30 to 21 days the period by which a state department or agency, prior to executing a state professional facilities management contract for services within a state legislative district that would result in the outsourcing of facilities management services to private, nonstate government entities, must notify each member of the general assembly representing such district of the contract. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 12; Title 13; Title 15; Title 41; Title 52; Title 57; Title 58; Title 66 and Title 67.