Tennessee House Bills

Safety - As introduced, requires a blasting firm that conducts a pre-blast survey for an owner or occupant of certain buildings within 300 feet of the blast hole to provide the survey upon request by the owner or occupant at no cost. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 105.

Memorials, Recognition - Suffs -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dr. Randall Davis, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Advisory Board -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dr. Gary A. Passons, University of Tennessee Health Science Center -

TennCare - As introduced, requires the bureau of TennCare to reimburse certain public or private ground-based ambulance services that bill for transports at a rate not less than 67.5 percent of the federal medicare program's allowable charge for participating providers for emergency services and 100 percent of the federal medicare program's allowable charge for participating providers for nonemergency services. - Amends TCA Title 71.

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dr. Tyler Forrest, Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Board of Trustees -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Pete Claussen, Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Board of Trustees -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Joshua R. Walker, Tennessee Claims Commission -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dewey Branstetter, Jr., Tennessee Ethics Commission -

Memorials, Recognition - Philippine-American Friendship Day, 80th anniversary -

Memorials, Recognition - Philippine-American Friendship Day, 80th anniversary -

House of Representatives - As introduced, revises the statutory reference to the house committee responsible for approving the Tennessee Code Commission style guidelines from the civil justice committee of the house of representatives to the committee of the house of representatives with jurisdiction over subject matters pertaining to the code commission. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 17; Title 29; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 43; Title 47; Title 49; Title 50; Title 52; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69; Title 70; Title 71 and Chapter 895 of the Public Acts of 2024.

Guardians and Conservators - As introduced, requires a hearing on a petitioner for the appointment of a guardian or conservator to be held within 90 days, rather than 60 days, from the date of service on the respondent or the date a guardian ad litem was appointed. - Amends TCA Title 24; Title 25; Title 26; Title 27; Title 28; Title 29; Title 30; Title 31; Title 32; Title 34; Title 35 and Title 36.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to submit a report on the feasibility of creating and implementing a graduate physician licensure program that would allow a person who has graduated from an allopathic medical school and passed the United States Medical Licensing Examination, but who has not completed an accredited postgraduate residency program, to provide medical services within a framework of a continuous collaboration and supervision agreement with a licensed physician to the chair of the health and welfare committee of the senate and the chair of the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on or before January 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

Memorials, Death - Karen D. Williford Rogers -

Memorials, Recognition - Animation Day, April 11, 2026 -

Tobacco, Tobacco Products - As introduced, establishes the "Tobacco Product Retail Licensing Act," under which the alcoholic beverage commission is required to license and regulate tobacco product retailers. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 43; Title 47; Title 57; Title 67 and Title 68.

Human Resources, Department of - As introduced, urges the department to allocate a minimum of $16,000 annually in vocational rehabilitation funds for the purpose of supporting accessible information services for blind persons in this state. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 71.

Teachers, Principals and School Personnel - As introduced, authorizes a local board of education and public charter school governing body to employ or accept as a volunteer a school chaplain to provide support, services, and programs for students, school staff, and students' parents. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Real Property - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 30; Title 31; Title 32; Title 35; Title 55; Title 66 and Section 67-4-409.

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.

Employees, Employers - As introduced, increases the hourly minimum wage to $20.00, or the federal minimum wage established pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, whichever rate is greater. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 23; Title 12, Chapter 4, Part 4 and Title 50, Chapter 2.

Memorials, Retirement - James Bennett -

Memorials, Recognition - LuLu's Tea Room, 20th anniversary -

Hotels and Restaurants - As introduced, creates a voluntary community storm emergency relief program administered by the department of tourist development in collaboration with the department of agriculture to authorize hotels and food service establishments to better serve the needs of their communities during a declared state or local emergency based upon a severe weather event. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 53, Chapter 8; Title 58, Chapter 2; Title 62, Chapter 7 and Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 14.

Highways, Roads and Bridges - As introduced, requires the commissioner of transportation to establish rules governing reimbursement of relocation costs to a utility; requires reimbursement of at least $2.5 million for projects with utility relocation costs exceeding $2.5 million; requires the department to approve a utility owner's plan to accomplish the proposed new location of utility facilities in highway rights-of-way if the proposal would effectuate the relocation at the lowest cost to the utility and its ratepayers; makes other related revisions. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 54.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, directs the commissioner of commerce and insurance to publish and submit to the general assembly on or before October 1, 2026, a report containing data on alleged statutory violations by pharmacy benefits managers during the previous fiscal year for failing to meet requirements for timely reimbursements to pharmacies; the report must include data on the number of alleged violations reported, the commissioner's findings from any ensuing investigations, and any penalties imposed for findings of violations. - Amends TCA Title 56, Chapter 7, Part 31 and Title 56, Chapter 7, Part 32.

Tort Liability and Reform - As introduced, states that certain nonprofit entities that contract with the department of children's services to provide community-based care or child welfare services shall not be held liable for damages resulting from an act or omission of the entity's employee or volunteer or a caregiver providing services on behalf of the entity if certain requirements are met. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 29; Title 36 and Title 37.

Health Care - As introduced, adds doula services performed by a person with a verification of certification to the list of services that may be provided as medical assistance under the TennCare program; directs the department of health to establish by rule a process for the verification of certification to a person who demonstrates that the person has completed a doula training program that meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 71.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, allocates all revenue generated from the state sales tax on retail sales of recreational vessels, recreational vessel accessories, and wildlife-related outdoor recreational goods to the wildlife resources fund. - Amends TCA Title 11; Title 67; Title 69 and Title 70.

Human Services, Dept. of - As introduced, enacts the "Guaranteed Basic Income Act" or the "Protection Against Automation Act," which requires the department to develop and implement a program in which eligible residents are awarded an annual guaranteed basic income grant beginning in 2026. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9; Title 67, Chapter 4 and Title 71.

Public Records - As introduced, revises provisions relating to the assessment and collection of fees for the inspection and copying of public records. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 4, Part 6 and Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.

Motor Vehicles - As introduced, prohibits governmental entities that regulate entertainment transportation from denying the transfer of a permit, establishing certain noise ordinances, requiring an entertainment transportation vehicle to be enclosed, and taking other actions under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Section 7-51-1008.

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.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to conduct a study on health concerns of, and identifying obstacles for receiving better care for, persons whose biological sex is female; requires the department to submit a report to the members of the general assembly on the results of the study on or before January 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 28; Title 29; Title 49; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.

Memorials, Death - Chesna Jeane Hulsey -

Memorials, Recognition - Larry Bushart -

Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, removes the requirement that each year the Tennessee public utility commission submit to the general assembly a report describing the competitive nature of the telecommunications market in this state. - Amends TCA Title 65, Chapter 1 and Title 65, Chapter 5.

Public Utilities - As introduced, requires the supervisory body of municipal electric plants to make the current schedule of rates and charges and all rules and regulations relating to electric service available to the public in an electronic format online. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7 and Title 65.

Comptroller, State - As introduced, requires the comptroller of the treasury to publish a copy of an audit conducted of the energy efficient schools council on the comptroller's website. - Amends TCA Title 49.

TennCare - As introduced, removes an obsolete reference to July 1, 2000, as the initial date after which the department of health must ensure that application forms for TennCare uninsured or uninsurable coverage under the Medical Assistance Act apprise applicants of the requirements of the act. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 14; Title 33; Title 47; Title 52; Title 56; Title 62; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Taxes - As introduced, requires every taxpayer eligible for an excise tax exemption under present law to file the application for, or renewal of, the exemption on or before the 20th day, instead of the 15th day, of the fourth month following the close of the first tax year for which the person claims the exemption. - Amends TCA Title 67.

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.

Election Laws - As introduced, requires a county election commission, upon receipt of a bona fide complaint of a violation of a person's right to vote in an election, to document the details of the complaint and electronically submit the complaint to the state election commission. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 8; Title 29; Title 39 and Title 41.

Public Utility Commission - As introduced, authorizes the commission to electronically provide to the general assembly its annual report of all matters relating to the commissioner's office for the preceding year, including practical workings of companies under its jurisdiction in this state and an abstract of the minutes of all of the commission's meetings. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.

Planning, Public - As introduced, specifies that the presiding officer of the local government planning advisory committee must promptly notify, or cause to be notified, the appointing authority of a member who fails to attend three consecutive committee meetings. - Amends TCA Title 4.

State Government - As introduced, expands the requirements of the 2026 and 2027 annual reports to be submitted by the artificial intelligence advisory council to the governor, speaker of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives by requiring such reports to include recommendations on strategies to detect and minimize the risk of fraud committed by persons using artificial intelligence. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 29; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 53; Title 62; Title 63; Title 65; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 71.

Professions and Occupations - As introduced, decreases from 30 to 21 days the time in which a licensed polygraph examiner or company must notify the commissioner of commerce and insurance of a change in business address. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 62 and Title 63.

Commerce and Insurance, Dept. of - As introduced, deletes an obsolete requirement that the commissioner conduct a study of this state's insurance laws to determine what impediments, if any, exist that may be acting as deterrents for insurance companies in this state to underwrite policies of insurance to insure a person who has used force that is justified, including deadly force, in protecting such person's self or property, and to submit a report of the study to the general assembly no later than March 1, 2012. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, deletes an obsolete requirement that the department of commerce and insurance conduct a study to determine the appropriateness of a separate premium rating for medicare supplement policies for populations under 65 years of age upon the expiration of five years from May 27, 2010. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

Motor Vehicles - As introduced, requires the notification submitted by the department of safety to the department of revenue of reports of the theft or recovery of motor vehicles to be in writing. - Amends TCA Title 55.

Energy - As introduced, authorizes the state energy policy council to submit electronically its annual comprehensive reports on its assessment of the state's energy sector and comprehensive state energy policy plan to the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29, Part 2; Title 4, Chapter 3 and Title 68, Chapter 204, Part 1.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, reduces, from five to four business days, the amount of time a warden has to report an offense in a penal institution to the appropriate district attorney generals. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Taxes, Ad Valorem - As introduced, requires the notification submitted by the director of the division of property assessments to the commissioner of finance and administration of the default by a county or city in the repayment of a loan provided by the state to finance the city's or county's real property reappraisal program to be in writing. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Local Government, General - As introduced, authorizes the board of directors of a rail service authority to submit each annual report electronically. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 45; Title 49; Title 54 and Title 67.

Solid Waste Disposal - As introduced, authorizes the department of environment and conservation to permit solid waste disposal systems to submit groundwater sampling reports in electronic format. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 11; Title 64; Title 67 and Title 68.

Real Property - As introduced, increases, from 10 days to 10 business days, the time that a clerk and master has to send by certified mail a copy of the notice that the clerk and master has received a complaint of claim of abandoned mineral interest identifying the recipient as the owner of the mineral interest and that the interest will lapse in 60 days after publication of the complaint once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the mineral interest is located. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 12; Title 13; Title 29; Title 54; Title 55; Title 59; Title 60; Title 66 and Title 68.

Civil Emergencies - As introduced, requires state agencies charged with responsibilities in connection with healthcare facilities to study emergency mitigation at the direction of the governor as part of the state and local comprehensive emergency management plans. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 13; Title 14; Title 49; Title 54; Title 55; Title 58; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 68 and Title 71.

Planning, Public - As introduced, requires an establishment resolution adopted by the governing body of a municipality to form an infrastructure development district to include an itemization of the funded costs for infrastructure related to each utility service that will serve the development district. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 65 and Title 66.

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.