Tennessee Senate Bills

Disability and Aging, Dept. Of - As introduced, removes the termination date of the Alzheimer's and dementia respite care pilot program; removes the requirement that the program must actively serve up to 225 enrollees at one time in each fiscal year of the program's operation. - Amends TCA Title 52, Chapter 8, Part 2.

Taxes - As introduced, enacts the "End the Grocery Tax Act." - Amends TCA Title 57 and Title 67.

Finance and Administration, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to promulgate rules relating to cash transaction rounding. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 67.

Parks, Natural Areas Preservation - As introduced, requires that veterans who are Tennessee residents be offered the same discounts at state parks at the same rates and with the same frequency as discounts offered to state employees at state parks. - Amends TCA Title 11, Chapter 3 and Title 58.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, allows an LEA or public charter school to install, maintain, and use, subject to parental approval, a video camera surveillance system in the special education classrooms operated by the LEA or public charter school to continuously monitor students, teachers, and staff in the classroom while special education or related services are being provided. - Amends TCA Title 10 and Title 49.

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, enacts the "Greenbelt Initiative Fund Transfer (GIFT) Act," which creates the rural revenue equity fund; authorizes the commissioner of economic and community development to distribute amounts from the fund to rural counties based on certain agricultural, demographic, and fiscal criteria, including greenbelt acreage. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 9 and Title 67.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, transfers oversight of the board of boiler rules and the elevator and amusement device safety board from the department of labor and workforce development to the department of commerce and insurance. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 62 and Title 68.

District Attorneys - As introduced, changes from 10 days to 10 business days the amount of notice the president of the district attorneys general conference must give members before calling a meeting at will. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 7 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, requires a posted sign or notice intended to warn violators that trespassers by motor vehicle will be prosecuted to clearly define the area in which driving, parking, standing, or otherwise operating a motor vehicle is prohibited. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Health Care - As introduced, permits a healthcare organization's quality improvement committee to evaluate the security measures in place at a healthcare organization to ensure the safety of patients and staff. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 38; Title 62 and Title 68.

Health Care - As introduced, redefines a licensed professional counselor as a limited practice professional counselor; redefines a licensed professional counselor with a designation as a mental health service provider as a licensed professional counselor; terminates the issuance of limited practice professional counselor licenses on July 1, 2028. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to create an outreach campaign regarding the ongoing research of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease; terminates the outreach campaign on July 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 68.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts from the state sales and use tax the retail sale of food and food ingredients. - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3 and Title 67, Chapter 6.

Children - As introduced, prohibits private schools participating in the individualized education account program, education savings account program, or that enroll recipients of an education freedom scholarship from employing an individual that has committed child abuse, severe child abuse, child sexual abuse, or child neglect; requires the department of human services to review, upon the request of certain child care agencies, an employee or potential employee to determine whether the individual has a record of perpetrating the abuse or neglect of children or adults. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 37; Title 49 and Title 71.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, authorizes an excise tax credit for brewers that donate spent grain byproducts for agricultural use. - Amends TCA Title 43; Title 57 and Title 67.

Judges and Chancellors - As introduced, increases base salaries for trial and appellate level judges and supreme court justices effective September 1, 2030; revises compensation and other requirements for general sessions judges on or after September 1, 2030. - Amends TCA Section 8-23-103; Title 16 and Title 67.

Public Defenders - As introduced, changes from 10 days to 10 business days the number of days' written notice the president of the district public defenders conference must give before calling an at-will meeting of the conference. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts from the state sales and use tax the retail sale of food and food ingredients. - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3 and Title 67.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts the retail sale of generic food products from the food retail sales tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts the retail sale of fresh fruit and vegetables for human consumption from the food retail sales tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, increases, from 30 to 45, the number of days a sheriff has to provide the department of safety with any information that is within the knowledge of the sheriff concerning an applicant's truthfulness on an application for an enhanced handgun carry permit. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

Firefighters - As introduced, requires this state's employee assistance program, including components for mental health and wellness, to be available to all active members of a volunteer fire department and all active volunteer members of a combination fire department; makes various other changes. - Amends TCA Section 8-50-119 and Title 68, Chapter 102.

Local Government, General - As introduced, requires that a reduction of the allocations and distributions of certain tax and other revenues to counties and municipalities due to a population loss based on the revised populations certified by the department of economic and community development be implemented incrementally in 20 percent increments over a five-year period. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 4, Chapter 49; Section 9-16-101; Title 54, Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 57, Chapter 5, Part 2; Title 57, Chapter 3, Part 3 and Title 67.

Welfare - As introduced, clarifies that the department of human services must provide applicants with a written notice of temporary assistance eligibility determinations. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 71.

Labor and Workforce Development, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the governor to approve all eligible workforce training programs for the purposes of federal workforce Pell grants and coordinate approval of eligible workforce training programs with other state and federal workforce programs to avoid duplicative payments for the same student costs that are covered by federal workforce Pell grants. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 14.

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, requires that 10 percent of the payments paid to or retained by the state from the Tennessee valley authority in lieu of taxes be allocated to the wildlife resources fund and used for boating and wildlife resources purposes. - Amends TCA Title 11; Title 67; Title 69 and Title 70.

Public Employees - As introduced, requires, instead of authorizes, the state and local governments to provide fully paid health insurance coverage to the immediate family members of state and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2020; removes the two-year limitation on the state or local government's full payment of such coverage; adds that family members of officers who suffer catastrophic injuries on or after January 1, 2020, also qualify for such coverage; requires the state to reimburse local governments that provide such coverage. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27.

Public Defenders - As introduced, creates five additional social worker positions in the public defender system. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

Education - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Teacher Residency Program Act." - Amends TCA Title 49.

Safety - As introduced, requires a private residence elevator that is newly constructed and accepted on and after July 1, 2027, to register with the department of labor and workforce development within seven days of being placed into service; makes certain other changes relative to private residence elevators. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 121.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, increases the penalties for a violation of the offense of introduction or possession of contraband into a penal institution from a Class C felony to a Class B felony for certain acts and certain types of contraband, from a Class D felony to a Class C felony for certain acts and certain types of contraband, and from a Class E felony to a Class D felony for certain acts involving a telecommunication device if the violation resulted in the death of another person. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, expands sales tax exemptions on repair and refurbishment of aircraft and aircraft components, including equipment and parts used, performed by Tennessee-based aircraft repair companies from only large or transport category aircraft to include all aircraft, including helicopters, that will be removed outside the state following repair. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6, Part 3.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, urges the department of revenue to study the amount of revenue derived during the previous five fiscal years from the sales tax imposed on retail sales of non-prepared food, and from the general sales tax imposed on retail sales of prepared food; requires a report be submitted to the chairs of the finance, ways and means committees and the office of legislative budget analysis. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts books from sales tax on the annual sales tax holiday. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Sentencing - As introduced, makes the offense of sexual battery by an authority figure ineligible for probation. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

Teachers, Principals and School Personnel - As introduced, allows the state board of education to waive the educator licensure requirement for an individual who does not hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution, but who has at least five years of teaching experience at a church-related school or private school approved to operate in this state, if the individual meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 49.

TennCare - As introduced, establishes separate reimbursement rates for ground-based rural ambulance services and urban ambulance services provided to TennCare recipients; allows for certain rural ambulance service providers to receive emergency medical services equipment grants. - Amends TCA Title 71.

Education, Higher - As introduced, requires each public institution of higher education to classify a student who is the spouse of a service member who has not resided in this state for at least one year as an in-state student for tuition purposes if the service member's spouse resides in this state while enrolled in the institution; adds dependants of active-duty military personnel or veterans residing outside of this state to those who are eligible to receive the in-state tuition rate at a public institution of higher education; requires, instead of allows, the governing board of each such institution to provide the in-state tuition rate to military-affiliated individuals. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Appropriations - As introduced, makes appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of certain legislative enactments passed during the 2026 session of the 114th General Assembly; earmarks sufficient state funds for the purpose of funding any bill naming a highway or bridge in honor of a service member killed in action. -

TennCare - As introduced, directs the first $150 million of tax revenue generated by the health maintenance organization tax on or after July 1, 2026, to be utilized to draw down federal funds to reimburse a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant who is entitled to receive TennCare reimbursement for a CPT code for evaluation and management, obstetrics and gynecology, or anesthesia. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Health Care - As introduced, revises requirement for the department of commerce and insurance to report on coverage for mental health, alcoholism, and drug dependency. - Amends TCA Title 56.

Scholarships and Financial Aid - As introduced, adds Western Governors University as an educational institution at which an active member of a federally recognized unit of the Tennessee national guard may receive tuition reimbursement through the Tennessee Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen (STRONG) Act of 2017. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.

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.

Taxes - As introduced, enacts the "End the Grocery Tax by Closing Corporate Loopholes Act." - Amends TCA Title 57 and Title 67.

General Assembly - As introduced, decreases from 50 to 25 miles a member's principal residence is from the capitol for purposes of the member receiving the hotel portion of per diem; prohibits such members from receiving a daily mileage allowance. - Amends TCA Section 3-1-106.

Sentencing - As introduced, states that there is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant convicted of aggravated assault is not a favorable candidate for probation if the offense involved the use or display of a firearm during the commission of the offense. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 35.

Education - As introduced, requires local education agencies and public charter schools to provide all high school students, instead of only high school seniors, the opportunity to take a nationally recognized career readiness assessment; requires the board of regents to establish a framework for institutions governed by the board to provide transcribable credit to students who earned a credential on a nationally recognized career readiness assessment in high school that may be applied toward the student's attainment of a postsecondary degree. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Taxes, Privilege - As introduced, removes licensed attorneys who have practiced more than 20 years from the application of the professional privilege tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 17.

Sexual Offenses - As introduced, revises the offense of continuous sexual abuse of a child, including the required number of victims, required number of incidents of sexual abuse, and time frame within which the incidents must have occurred. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 5.

Orders of Protection - As introduced, increases from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony the penalty for the criminal offense of violation of an order of protection if the order violated was a lifetime order of protection and the conviction that the lifetime order of protection was based on involved the use of force against a victim. - Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 39.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, adds to the list of certain offenses required to be served at 100 percent of the sentence imposed by the court undiminished by any sentence reduction credits, the attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit those offenses. - Amends TCA Section 40-35-501.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, adds "a victim" to the definition of an individual involved in the judicial process for purposes of the criminal offense of harming or threatening to harm an individual involved in the judicial process; makes various other changes regarding victims of crime. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 39 and Title 40.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, prohibits the use of a telecommunication device, with intent to deprive the owner of property, to fraudulently obtain or exercise control over the property of another without the owner's effective consent, which is punishable as theft, but in no event less than a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, exempts certain school supplies and instructional materials from the sales and use tax if sold to a teacher employed by a local education agency or public charter school. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Human Services, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to apply for federal grants and other federal funds available to the state through the federal summer electronic benefits transfer (SEBT) for children program during any year in which the program is offered, for the purpose of providing nutrition assistance through SEBT during the summer months for each eligible child. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 71.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires boards of education that contract for transportation services with persons owning equipment to provide school transportation facilities to all students who live more than 1.5 miles by the nearest accessible route from the school to which they are assigned by the board of education and in which they are enrolled. - Amends TCA Title 49; Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 55, Chapter 8.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts feminine hygiene products from sales tax on the annual sales tax holiday. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

TennCare - As introduced, establishes TennCare minimum and maximum reimbursement rate levels for rural hospitals and requires that the reimbursement rate is based on the rural hospital's current federal fiscal year. - Amends TCA Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, Chapter 5.

Taxes, Privilege - As introduced, reduces professional privilege tax from $400 to $200 per year for attorneys in tax years that begin on and after June 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 17.

Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) - As introduced, increases, from $200 to $500, the amount each LEA and public charter school is required to pay each teacher in kindergarten through grade 12 for the purchase of instructional supplies. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 3.