Tennessee House Bills

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates the criminal offense of intentionally communicating a threat of harm to a public official or a member of the public official's immediate family; punishes a violation as a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Sentencing - As introduced, requires a sentencing court to order every convicted person to perform a certain number of community service hours in addition to any other punishment imposed for the criminal violation. - Amends TCA Title 40.

Environment and Conservation, Department of - As introduced, requires the department to ensure that certain safety signage is placed at new trails or trails under renovation within the state's trail system; requires the same for jogging trails. - Amends TCA Title 11.

Planning, Public - As introduced, authorizes the City of Clarksville and Montgomery County to participate in the Tennessee local land bank program. - Amends TCA Title 13, Chapter 30.

Health Care - As introduced, changes from March 1 to February 1, the date by which a managed care organization that participates in the TennCare program must submit its annual report to the bureau of TennCare. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 1.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires each LEA to submit a report to the department of education by July 31 each year that includes, for the immediately preceding school year, the number of students the LEA provided with information on the career and technical education opportunities offered by the LEA after the students were administered a career aptitude assessment in grade seven or eight. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Foster Care - As introduced, enacts the "Stable Homes for Foster Youth Act." - Amends TCA Title 37.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires each LEA and 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.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts "Matthew Davenport's Law," which creates a Class D felony offense of knowingly possessing Kratom; creates a Class B felony offense of knowingly manufacturing, delivering, or selling Kratom, or of knowingly possessing Kratom with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell Kratom; punishes a violation of the offense as a Class A felony if the offense involved the delivery or sale of Kratom to a minor; requires toxicology tests in certain circumstances to include testing for Kratom; requires the commissioner of labor and workforce development to promulgate a rule to add Kratom to the definition of a drug in regard to workers' compensation claims. - Amends TCA Title 33, Chapter 2; Title 38; Title 39; Title 50; Title 63 and Title 68.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, allows certain felony offenders to petition to have the offender's criminal history records sealed after completion of all requirements of sentencing and at least five years without being convicted of a new offense. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

Police - As introduced, authorizes qualified companies to maintain a company police force that may exercise law enforcement authority within the confines of the company's properties; prescribes qualifications for police officers of a company police agency. - Amends TCA Title 29, Chapter 20; Title 38, Chapter 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17.

Tort Liability and Reform - As introduced, creates a cause of action through which a victim can recover from a person, other than a professional bondsman or person with a bailable interest, who posts bail for a defendant and the defendant is subsequently convicted for a criminal offense that occurred while the defendant was on bail; allows the victim to recover for damage to property, injury, or death arising from the subsequent criminal offense. - Amends TCA Title 40.

Finance and Administration, Dept. of - As introduced, creates a law enforcement officer recruitment fund and grant program administered by the department for the purpose of assisting eligible law enforcement agencies in officer recruitment. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9 and Title 38.

Naming and Designating - "Charlie Kirk Day," September 10, 2026 -

Pest Control - As introduced, specifies that a manufacturer or seller of a pesticide registered with the commissioner of agriculture and with the environmental protection agency under the federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is not liable in a civil action related to the labeling of the pesticide, if the pesticide bore a label approved by the EPA under FIFRA at the time of sale. - Amends TCA Title 43, Chapter 8.

Public Officials - As introduced, prohibits a public facility from being named for a local public official who is in office, for two years after the public official leaves office, or if the public official has been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude; prohibits a local public official from making charitable donations in the public official's name if the donation is from public funds. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9 and Title 12.

Adoption - As introduced, changes from 100 years to 90 years the amount of time that must elapse from the date the adoption was finalized before confidential adoption records become public records open to inspection. - Amends TCA Title 18; Title 36, Chapter 1; Title 37; Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 9; Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 7 and Section 49-6-1304.

Education, Higher - As introduced, extends, from January 1 to January 15, the deadline for the department of correction to submit its annual report on higher education opportunities available to incarcerated individuals to the chairs of the judiciary and education committees of the senate and the criminal justice and education administration committees of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Education, Dept. of - As introduced, changes, beginning in 2027, the deadline for the department to submit its annual report on the school safety alert grant pilot fund from February 1 to January 15. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Campaigns and Campaign Finance - As introduced, requires the registry of election finance to provide a nonexclusive list of the various categories of contributions that constitute in-kind contributions requiring disclosure to each member of the general assembly at the beginning of each yearly session and each candidate for state office within one week of the candidate certifying a treasurer with the registry. - Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 10.

Unclaimed Property - As introduced, allows the treasurer to file the annual report regarding the total amount and value of abandoned or unclaimed property with certain executive and legislative branch officials electronically. - Amends TCA Title 66.

General Assembly - As introduced, prohibits the biennial increase in the office expense allowance for members of the general assembly from exceeding 50 percent of the principal amount of the current allowance. - Amends TCA Title 3.

Teachers, Principals and School Personnel - As introduced, authorizes designated school employees who complete training to search containers, packages, and other enclosures in the possession of a student or visitor that triggers an alert by the school's weapons detection system. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Tobacco, Tobacco Products - As introduced, increases, from a Class C to a Class A misdemeanor, the penalty for selling or distributing a vapor product to an individual under 21 years of age; requires retailers of vapor products to obtain a license for such retail sales from the department of commerce and insurance; provides for civil penalties for violations by licensees. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 15 and Title 62.

Memorials, Recognition - Chattanooga Gas Company -

Scholarships and Financial Aid - As introduced, adds an institution accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) that has its primary campus domiciled in this state as an eligible postsecondary institution in which a student may be enrolled for purposes of receiving a Tennessee Promise scholarship; conditions the availability of the scholarship at such an institution on there being no available enrollment slots in a Tennessee college of applied technology in the student's county of residence for the student's desired program of study. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Law Enforcement - As introduced, specifies that a commissioned reserve deputy sheriff or commissioned reserve or auxiliary police officer receiving compensation for services as a guard, patrol, or watchperson under a contract with a private business that is properly licensed by the state is exempt from the private protective services licensing and regulation requirements. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 62, Chapter 35.

State Government - As introduced, adds a certificate of release or discharge from active duty (DD-214) issued by the United States department of defense to the list of items an applicant for a federal, state, or local public benefit may produce to a state governmental entity or local health department to verify the applicant's United States citizenship. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 58 and Title 49.

State Government - As introduced, requires governor to cause proposed legislation that transfers functions between state departments be forwarded to the chairs of the government operations committees of both houses. - Amends TCA Title 4.

Health Care - As introduced, requires the annual report by the board of dentistry to be made by February 1 each year and sent to the general assembly, in addition to the governor. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Correction, Dept. of - As introduced, increases from 90 to 100 days of receiving a valid judgment of conviction for when the department has to notify the victim witness coordinator of the scheduled parole hearing date when the inmate will be eligible for parole consideration. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

Children's Services, Dept. of - As introduced, changes from January 31 to February 15 the date by which the commissioner shall publish an annual report regarding operation of the department and the services and programs under its supervision. - Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 37.

Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, requires bondsmen to file the quarterly reports on number of bonds issued by the bondsman in the preceding quarter by the thirtieth day of January, April, July, and October, rather than the twenty-fifth day; requires court clerks to file the quarterly reports on number of bonds accepted by the clerk in the preceding quarter by the thirtieth day of January, April, July, and October, rather than the twenty-fifth day. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 11.

Uniform Commercial Code - As introduced, incorporates amendments adopted to the Uniform Commercial Code by the Uniform Law Commission in 2018 and 2022. - Amends TCA Title 47.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, exempts the retail sale of food and food ingredients purchased with an EBT card by a recipient of SNAP benefits from the sales and use tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Psychologists - As introduced, creates prescribing authority for certain psychologists if certain conditions and prerequisites are met. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.

Memorials, Death - Bill R. Dunlap -

TennCare - As introduced, deletes an obsolete provision that required the comptroller of the treasury, in conjunction with any appropriate TennCare drug utilization review committees, to study the use of prescription drugs in nursing homes and the costs of those prescription drugs for residents of nursing homes; to examine prescription use overall; to focus on any practices that would improve the quality of resident care while reducing costs to the TennCare program; and to report by January 1, 2005, to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56 and Title 71.

Public Records - As introduced, makes the addresses on a nominating petition for the office of judge, chancellor, district attorney general, and public defender confidential. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 10, Chapter 7.

Memorials, Death - Lieutenant Gordon Gwathney, Knoxville Police Department -

Memorials, Recognition - Benny Jett, NSDAR Mary Desha Medal for Youth -

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires LEAs to publish the character education curriculum on the LEA's website. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Education, Curriculum - As introduced, clarifies that local education agencies and public charter schools shall instruct students about the formation of the governments of the United States and Tennessee using federal and state foundational documents at the appropriate grade level and consistent with social studies standards adopted by the state board. - Amends TCA Title 49.

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.

Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies - As introduced, decreases from 30 to 21 days, the amount of time each insurer of personal risk insurance must file with the commissioner of commerce and insurance before the proposed effective date of all rates, supplementary rate information, supporting information, policy forms, and endorsements. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56 and Title 71.

Taxes, Ad Valorem - As introduced, changes from March 1 of the second year following a tax year to March 1 of the tenth year following a tax year by which certain corrections to the property tax assessment for that tax year are to be initiated by an assessor or requested by a taxpayer. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Highway Signs - As introduced, requires the department of transportation to replace or modify a sign located along Interstate 40 eastbound to replace a reference to a stadium formerly located off of Exit 407 with a different traffic generating attraction. - Amends TCA Title 54.

Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to Article I, Section 26 of the Constitution of Tennessee to remove the provision that authorizes the legislature to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime and to clarify that citizens have a right to keep and bear arms. -

Handgun Permits - As introduced, extends the time, from 30 to 45 days, within which a person whose handgun carry permit has been suspended or revoked may petition the chancery court for judicial review of the department of safety's final determination. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Veterans - As introduced, enacts the "Veterans Assistance for Livelihood, Opportunity, and Relief (VALOR) Act," which exempts disabled veterans who have 100 percent permanent and total disability from a service-connected cause from the payment of certain taxes and fees. - Amends TCA Section 5-8-102; Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 67 and Title 70, Chapter 2.

State Inmates - As enacted, increases the accreditation stipend provided to eligible counties for each convicted felon housed by the county. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 29; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

Taxes, Hotel Motel - As enacted, requires a hotel operator to remit the hotel tax to the municipality when a person has maintained occupancy for 30 continuous days and to cease collecting the tax from the person for the remainder of their stay in the operator's hotel. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 14.

Governor - As enacted, prohibits orders, proclamations, or rules issued by the governor under the governor's emergency management powers from contravening, suspending, or conflicting with a provision of the Tennessee Constitution; restricts governor's ability under such powers to suspend certain procedural provisions of a law, order, rule, or regulation. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 58, Chapter 2.

Real Property - As enacted, requires foreign persons who purchase land in this state and who file a report of such purchase to the United States department of agriculture under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to also file the report with the commissioner of agriculture. - Amends TCA Title 66, Chapter 2, Part 3.

Ridgeside - Subject to local approval, repeals and replaces in its entirety the city's private act charter. - Amends Chapter 615 of the Private Acts of 1931; as amended.

Erin - Subject to local approval, makes changes to definitions in the city charter; adds corporate powers to be exercised by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen; makes several other changes to the city charter. - Amends Chapter 403 of the Private Acts of 1951; as amended and rewritten.

Crossville - Subject to local approval, realigns salaries of mayor and city council to be set at a percentage of salary earned by the county mayor; establishes new meeting schedule for mayor and city council; creates process for holding administrative hearings by the city; increases maximum occupancy tax that may be imposed, from 2 percent to 3 percent. - Amends Chapter 519 of the Private Acts of 1953; as amended and rewritten.

Bartlett - Subject to local approval, repeals the animal control program. - Amends Chapter 55 of the Private Acts of 1993; as amended.

Oakland - Subject to local approval, establishes that the terms of office for mayor and alderman begin upon the official's swearing in on the first business day of the month following the month of the election for that office; designates five aldermanic positions, and allows for a sixth position, contingent on certain population metrics; provides for additional conditions for elected office. - Amends Chapter 167 of the Private Acts of 1994; as amended.

Hardeman County - Subject to local approval, increases, from 85 percent to 92 percent, the assumed property tax collection rate in setting the general tax rate for the county general fund and creating a county budget that covers expenditures for the next appropriation year. - Amends Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 1937; as amended.