Tennessee Senate Bills

Education, Higher - As introduced, allows a public institution of higher education to suspend a faculty member, including tenured faculty members, without pay during the pendency of any investigation or hearings conducted to determine whether adequate cause for the faculty member's termination exists; requires the president or chief executive officer for a public institution of higher education who is selected or appointed by the institution's governing board on or after July 1, 2026, to be confirmed by the senate and house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires each local school board to establish a school lunch program and a school breakfast program that provide a free breakfast and lunch to each student enrolled in a school under the board's jurisdiction; requires the state to reimburse each LEA for the cost of providing a free breakfast and lunch to each student enrolled in the LEA after all available federal funds have been applied. - Amends TCA Title 49.

School Vouchers - As introduced, requires the department of education to submit an annual report to the general assembly on information about the education freedom scholarship program. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Sports - As introduced, requires each student who participates in a school youth athletic activity to file with the local education agency (LEA) or public charter school a preparticipation medical evaluation or an exemption; creates the safe stars advisory committee. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 36 and Title 68, Chapter 6.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires the department of education, by July 31 each year, to list on its website each LEA designated as a high performing school district for the upcoming school year and how long the LEA will be designated a high performing school district before having to meet the criteria for re-designation. - Amends TCA Title 49.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Food and Food Products - As introduced, prohibits the sale of food containing nanotechnology created by humans that is capable of collecting and transmitting data unless the food is labeled as containing nanotechnology. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53.

Controlled Substances - As introduced, prohibits a healthcare facility from authorizing a licensed healthcare professional from performing a drug or alcohol test or screen on a patient who is pregnant, less than one year postpartum, or a newborn without written and oral consent; allows for a drug or alcohol test or screen to be performed without the consent of the patient in certain listed situations. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

Child Custody and Support - As introduced, authorizes a court to order additional parenting time to compensate for previously denied parenting time; requires a court to order additional parenting time to compensate for time that was denied on the basis of an investigation that did not result in a finding of abuse or neglect if the affected parent can show that the other parent intentionally made or participated in false allegations of abuse against the affected parent. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 6, Part 5.

Railroads - As introduced, prohibits a railroad company from allowing a train to obstruct a railroad crossing for more than 30 consecutive minutes; subjects the railroad company to civil penalties for violations. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40; Title 54 and Title 65.

Domestic Violence - As introduced, enacts "Katherine's Law"; creates the offense of aggravated domestic assault, which is a Class B felony. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Evidence - As introduced, states that in certain civil actions a licensed nurse practitioner or licensed physician assistant who is properly qualified as an expert witness may testify as to certain medical findings. - Amends TCA Title 24; Title 29, Chapter 26 and Title 50, Chapter 6.

Evidence - As introduced, prohibits a court from excluding evidence against a criminal defendant unless the evidence was obtained by deliberate, reckless, or grossly negligent conduct or recurring or systemic negligence that violated the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and refusal to suppress the evidence would contradict a clearly established holding of the United States supreme court; establishes an immediate interlocutory appeal to the Tennessee supreme court when a court grants a motion to suppress evidence. - Amends TCA Title 40.

Traffic Safety - As introduced, authorizes a law enforcement officer to seize and impound a motor vehicle in any county or municipality that has passed a resolution or ordinance authorizing the seizure and impoundment of a motor vehicle observed by law enforcement to have been used to commit the offense of drag racing or to flee after commission of the offense of drag racing subject to certain restrictions. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7; Title 16; Title 40 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 5.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, allows certain persons deprived of the right of suffrage to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage provisionally restored if the person enters into a payment plan to become current on all child support obligations. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 29.

Memorials, Recognition - Cooper Castle, American Legion Boys State -

Memorials, Recognition - Gina Harjani, National Orator Contest champion -

Memorials, Sports - Coach Derrick Davis -

Memorials, Personal Occasion - Letha May Beatrice Dedman Hallums, 95th birthday -

Memorials, Death - Jonathan Kerry Blackwood -

Memorials, Retirement - Randy Elliott -

Memorials, Recognition - Dr. Tracey Morant Adams -

Memorials, Recognition - Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the Capitol, February 18, 2026 -

Memorials, Death - Wayne Alexander Maxedon -

Education - As introduced, enacts the "School Safety and Mental Health Act." - Amends TCA Title 49.

Game and Fish Laws - As introduced, requires, by January 15 of each year, the office of the governor to submit a report to legislative committees with subject matter jurisdiction over natural resources detailing all such lands and waters set apart and dedicated by the governor for wildlife preserves, including the limits fixed of the lands and waters for such state wildlife preserves. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 43; Title 44; Title 55; Title 64; Title 67; Title 69 and Title 70.

Environment and Conservation, Department of - As introduced, requires the department to make available a list of the registered withdrawals of 10,000 or more gallons of water per day from a surface water or a groundwater source in a publicly accessible place on the department's website. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 59; Title 65; Title 66; Title 68 and Title 69.

Schools, Charter - As introduced, changes from December 11 to December 15, the date by which the state board of education is required to post the information received from each local education agency regarding the total amount of authorizer fees collected by the LEA in the previous school year and the authorizing obligations fulfilled using the authorizer fees collected on its website. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 13.

Education - As introduced, amends the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property to apply only to a valid and credible threat; requires a local education agency's threat assessment procedures to include, when assessing a student based on dangerous or threatening behavior, a written assessment of the student by a mental healthcare provider, which may be performed via telehealth. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 49.

Agriculture, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the commissioner to annually report the amount of fees, fines, and proceeds resulting from the sale of seized properties collected under Tennessee Apiary Act of 1995 to the chairpersons of the committees having subject jurisdiction over agriculture in both chambers of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 4; Title 8; Title 11; Title 12; Title 35; Title 36; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 43; Title 44; Title 47; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 62; Title 63; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69; Title 70 and Title 71.

Safety, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to develop and design for a driver who has a developmental or intellectual disability a blue envelope and a driver who has a mental illness a green envelope that holds the driver's essential documents, including a driver license, vehicle registration, and contact card. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 38; Title 52 and Title 55.

Local Government, General - As introduced, creates the "Tennessee Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund," with monies from the fund to be expended for grants and loans to counties, municipalities, state agencies, and nongovernmental entities for improvement and restoration projects; creates the board of trustees for the trust fund. - Amends TCA Title 68 and Title 70.

Environment and Conservation, Department of - As introduced, changes from January 31 to January 15, the date by which the commissioner must submit an annual report to the chair of the energy, agriculture and natural resources committee of the senate and the chair of the agriculture and natural resources committee of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 69.

Health Care - As introduced, authorizes an individual to submit a request for a pre-application determination of eligibility for an occupational license based on criminal history either in writing or electronically, rather than exclusively in writing, and updates the provision regarding judicial review to clarify that the 30-day window to petition the Davidson County chancery court is triggered by the receipt of either written or electronic notice of disqualification. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

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.

Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, allows the Tellico Village Property Owners Association's water and wastewater utility services to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee board of utility regulation. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 82, Part 7 and Title 65, Chapter 4, Part 1.

Transportation, Dept. of - As introduced, changes the deadline from January 1 to February 15 by when the department must submit its annual report to the speakers of the senate and the house of representatives, the chair of the transportation and safety committee of the senate, and the chair of the transportation committee of the house of representatives, on the status of projects funded by the transportation modernization fund. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 23; Title 9, Chapter 11; Title 9, Chapter 21; Title 9, Chapter 4; Title 9, Chapter 9; Title 54 and Title 67.

Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) - As introduced, expands the category of students who are considered economically disadvantaged for purposes of generating a weighted allocation through the TISA funding formula to include students who are enrolled in the state's medicaid program. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Motor Vehicles - As introduced, requires the department of safety to report to the chairs of the transportation and safety committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over transportation matters, the number of persons who participated in the motorcycle rider education program and the types of expenses for which the funds in the motorcycle rider safety fund were used during the last three years. - Amends TCA Title 55.