Tennessee Bills

Traffic Safety - As introduced, imposes state and local litigation taxes on a person who violates the prohibition against using a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device while operating a motor vehicle; removes the ten-dollar cap on court costs imposed for such violations. - Amends TCA Section 55-8-199.

Memorials, Recognition - Claiborne High School Blue Battalion Band -

Remedies and Special Proceedings - As introduced, increases the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff in a civil action may receive for noneconomic damages from $750,000 to $1.5 million; increases the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff in a civil action may receive for noneconomic damages, if the injury or loss is catastrophic in nature, from $1 million to $2 million. - Amends TCA Section 29-39-102.

Traffic Safety - As introduced, imposes state and local litigation taxes on a person who violates the prohibition against using a wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device while operating a motor vehicle; removes the ten-dollar cap on court costs imposed for such violations. - Amends TCA Section 55-8-199.

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Steven Emil Johnson, Fish and Wildlife Commission -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Robin Morrison, Tennessee public utility commission -

Controlled Substances - As introduced, changes from January 1 to January 15 the date by which the medical cannabis commission must submit its annual findings and recommendations to the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 63; Title 67 and Title 68.

Abortion - As introduced, states that the report a physician is required to submit to the commissioner of health after performing an abortion may be submitted electronically. - Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 55; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 71.

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, increases from 15 to 30 days, the time before the originally scheduled health facilities commission meeting at which an applicant's certificate of need application is to be heard by the commission by which a healthcare institution wishing to oppose such application must file written notice with the commission, and about which the applicant's published letter of intent in a newspaper of general circulation in the proposed service area of the project must contain a statement of notice. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68, Title 71 and Chapter 985 of the Public Acts of 2024.

Children - As introduced, increases from 14 to 21 days, the maximum amount of time per year that an entity or organization may provide child care on an occasional or infrequent basis through a "Parents' Night Out" or similar "Special Event" program while remaining exempt from the department of human service's licensing requirements. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9; Title 49; Title 50; Title 67 and Title 71.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, limits, for Carroll County, the weighted full-time equivalent average daily attendance for which the county is required to apportion all school funds collected by the county for current operation and maintenance purposes to that generated by students whose primary legal residence is located in Carroll County. - Amends TCA Title 5 and Title 49, Chapter 3.

State Government - As introduced, enacts the "No Corporate Land Giveaways Act." - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8 and Title 12.

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Jeremy Pippin, Dodson Branch School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Kayla Shouse, Homestead Elementary School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Amanda Nealon, North Springs Middle School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Katy Wyatt, Cumberland County High School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Amber Phillips, Gainesboro Elementary School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Leann Davis,Woodland Park Elementary School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Katy Jo Harrison, Jackson County High School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Shelia Stafford, Jackson County Middle School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Koundi Thompson, White County High School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Kimberly Lewis, White County Middle School Teacher of the Year -

Memorials, Professional Achievement - Hailey Dickerson, Smith County Middle School Teacher of the Year -

Funeral Directors and Embalmers - As introduced, establishes organic human reduction as a legally permissible method to dispose of human remains, with oversight by and pursuant to rules promulgated by the board of funeral directors and embalmers. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 11, Chapter 6, Part 1; Title 62, Chapter 5; Title 63 and Title 68.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, lowers the standard for the use of deadly force to protect property; specifies that deadly force does not include the display of a weapon, the brandishing of a weapon, or the use of force in circumstances that do not result in death or serious bodily injury. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Memorials, Congress - Urges Tennessee delegation to prevent closure of McMinnville VA clinic. -

Medical Occupations - As introduced, prohibits a healthcare provider from inquiring as to a patient's ownership, possession of, or access to firearm ammunition or firearm accessories; subjects the healthcare provider to disciplinary action and a fine of $1,000 if the healthcare provider makes such inquires. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, restates the criminal offense of drag racing as street drag racing; expands the offense to include acts committed on commercial property; authorizes a vehicle used in the commission of the offense or to flee after commission of the offense to be impounded for the purpose of collecting evidence; makes various other changes regarding the offense of street drag racing. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 39; Title 40; Title 55 and Title 68.

Aircraft and Airports - As introduced, increases, from 30 days to 30 business days, the amount of time before the start of a fiscal year that a joint board composed of public agencies overseeing a county or municipal airport has to submit its total expenditures to be made to the governing bodies of its constituent public agencies. - Amends TCA Title 42.

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Todd Skelton, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Advisory Board -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Dane Scism, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Advisory Board -

Sexual Offenses - As enacted, provides that when the victim of a sexually oriented crime is a minor, the consent of a parent or guardian is not required for the victim to receive a forensic medical examination. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 38 and Title 39.

Public Officials - As enacted, prohibits an individual holding an elected office of a local government from holding another elected office in this state at the same time; grandfathers individuals holding more than one office presently until the terms expire; clarifies that such prohibition does not apply to an office in a political party's state executive committee. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 8.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As enacted, expands the definition of a health benefit plan; requires a health benefit plan that amends, renews, or delivers a policy of coverage on or after January 1, 2026, and that provides coverage for prescription contraceptives, to provide coverage for a 12-month refill of contraceptives obtained at one time by an insured person. - Amends TCA Title 56 and Title 71.

Education - As introduced, deletes an antiquated section, which required the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee to, by December 15, 2014, perform a study on the economic feasibility of creating and utilizing a statewide comprehensive energy policy and submit its final report to the energy task force of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Firefighters - As introduced, increases from one year to two years post the duration of employment, the period of which a criminal background required as a condition of employment as a paid or volunteer fire protection personnel, or applicant for such position, must be maintained by the employer. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 38; Title 50 and Title 68.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, authorizes the attorney general and reporter to submit the required annual report regarding the activities of the consumer affairs division in the office of the attorney general and reporter to the general assembly electronically. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 47.

Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each LEA and public charter school to administer the Presidential Fitness Test to students to assess their strength, endurance, and flexibility. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, defines "criminally negligent conduct,” as used in the offense of criminally negligent homicide, to include failing or refusing to render aid to another person who is unconscious or in need of medical care and the person failing to act knows or reasonably should know that the unconsciousness or need for medical care occurred after the consumption of any controlled substance. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Juries and Jurors - As enacted, requires a breastfeeding mother to be excused from jury service upon submitting to the jury coordinator a written request to be excused and a supporting medical statement from a licensed physician or a certified professional midwife. - Amends TCA Title 22, Chapter 1 and Title 22, Chapter 2.

Holidays and Days of Special Observance - As enacted, designates February to be observed as "Tennessee Songwriters Month." - Amends TCA Section 15-2-129.

Public Records - As enacted, specifies that certain bank account information of individuals held by a state agency is confidential. - Amends TCA Section 10-7-504.

Business and Commerce - As enacted, authorizes a private entity that is engaged in business with the public and accepts cash payments to round off all figures used in the transaction amount to the nearest nickel, if exact change is not available; authorizes a financial institution that provides currency in exchange for a payment instrument received to round off all figures used in the transaction amount to the nearest nickel, if exact change is not available. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 45; Title 47, Chapter 50; Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 67.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) - As enacted, exempts disaster grants administered by TEMA from statutory requirements related to procurement, except that the state retains the right to inspect places of business and audit books and records for compliance. - Amends TCA Section 58-2-109.

Corporations, Not for Profit - As enacted, establishes the county where a public benefit or mutual benefit corporation has the corporation's principal office or, if the corporation does not have a principal office located in this state, the corporation's registered office, as a venue for a proceeding by the attorney general and reporter to dissolve the corporation; establishes additional locations as venues for proceedings to dissolve a corporation by the attorney general and reporter or other authorized parties. - Amends TCA Title 48, Chapter 64.

Driver Licenses - As enacted, removes present law that prohibits a person from being denied a commercial driver license, or being deemed medically unqualified to operate a motor vehicle, based on the failure to meet motor safety carrier regulations because of a medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus currently requiring insulin, but whose medical history indicates that the insulin controls the diabetes to the extent that the condition is not likely to cause any loss of ability to control a motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 4.

Guardians and Conservators - As enacted, requires a fiduciary's sworn accounting of receipts and expenditures filed annually with the court supervising a guardianship or conservatorship to include the date of the fiduciary's last contact with the person with a disability. - Amends TCA Title 34.

County Government - As enacted, requires county legislative bodies to adopt local rules of procedure within 90 days of convening a newly elected county legislative body by majority vote; requires a two-thirds vote to change such rules; specifies Robert's Rules of Order as the default rules of procedure for county legislative bodies. - Amends TCA Title 5.

Firefighters - As enacted, expands the applicability of the presumption that a firefighter's cancer was caused by the firefighter's employment to include arson investigators. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8; Title 50 and Title 56.

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Steven Emil Johnson, Fish and Wildlife Commission -

Memorials, Recognition - Lee Erwin, 50 years in radio broadcasting -

Memorials, Death - Dr. Zachary Tyler Medley -

Memorials, Recognition - AT&T, 150th anniversary -

General Assembly, Confirmation of Appointment - Robin Morrison, Tennessee public utility commission -

Sexual Offenses - As enacted, provides that when the victim of a sexually oriented crime is a minor, the consent of a parent or guardian is not required for the victim to receive a forensic medical examination. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 38 and Title 39.

Public Officials - As enacted, prohibits an individual holding an elected office of a local government from holding another elected office in this state at the same time; grandfathers individuals holding more than one office presently until the terms expire; clarifies that such prohibition does not apply to an office in a political party's state executive committee. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 8.

Corporations, Not for Profit - As enacted, establishes the county where a public benefit or mutual benefit corporation has the corporation's principal office or, if the corporation does not have a principal office located in this state, the corporation's registered office, as a venue for a proceeding by the attorney general and reporter to dissolve the corporation; establishes additional locations as venues for proceedings to dissolve a corporation by the attorney general and reporter or other authorized parties. - Amends TCA Title 48, Chapter 64.

Real Property - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Private Property Vesting Rights of 2026," which entitles a property owner to just compensation from a public entity if the public entity enacts a land use regulation that has the effect of reducing the fair market value of the property. - Amends TCA Title 29, Chapter 16.

Guardians and Conservators - As enacted, requires a fiduciary's sworn accounting of receipts and expenditures filed annually with the court supervising a guardianship or conservatorship to include the date of the fiduciary's last contact with the person with a disability. - Amends TCA Title 34.

Business and Commerce - As enacted, authorizes a private entity that is engaged in business with the public and accepts cash payments to round off all figures used in the transaction amount to the nearest nickel, if exact change is not available; authorizes a financial institution that provides currency in exchange for a payment instrument received to round off all figures used in the transaction amount to the nearest nickel, if exact change is not available. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 45; Title 47, Chapter 50; Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 67.