Tennessee House Bills

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.

Tourist Development, Dept. of - As introduced, requires a copy of an annual audit report prepared by certain organizations under the department to be submitted to the legislative librarian. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 11; Title 13; Title 24; Title 36; Title 39; Title 42; Title 43; Title 47; Title 49; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 58; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 70.

Agriculture - As introduced, enacts the "Freedom to Farm Act." - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4; Title 40 and Title 43.

Registers of Deeds - As introduced, creates a two-year pilot program that requires the register of deeds in Shelby County to verify and record the government-issued photo identification of individuals presenting documents for in-person property transfers. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 66 and Title 67.

Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, requires certain data centers to register with the department of revenue; requires fuel suppliers, and electric and water utilities that provide fuel and service respectively to registered data centers to report usage and rates to the department; requires the commissioner to compile and publish certain information based on reports received from utilities. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 10; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.

Welfare - As introduced, directs TACIR to conduct a study into homelessness and ways to combat the rise of homelessness; requires TACIR to file the report with the health and welfare committee of the senate, the committee in the house of representatives with jurisdiction over matters pertaining to homelessness, and the legislative librarian before January 31, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 71.

Annexation - As introduced, requires a municipality to obtain approval of a proposed annexation from the county legislative body; requires the municipality to submit certain reports to the county legislative body regarding the proposed annexation. - Amends TCA Title 6, Chapter 51, Part 1.

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, expresses the legislative intent that a county in which a county-wide fire department is established, or in which a volunteer fire department provides services, direct priority for the appropriation and allocation of county funds to fund the activities of the county-wide or volunteer fire department. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 38 and Title 68, Chapter 102, Part 3.

Business and Commerce - As introduced, creates the "Tennessee Data Center Impact Review Act." - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 10; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts the "Fair Background Check and Due Process Act." - Amends TCA Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 47; Title 50; Title 62; Title 66 and Title 71.

Tickets, Admission - As introduced, enacts the "Fair Access to Non-Inflated Seats (FANS) Act." - Amends TCA Title 47.

Taxes, Ad Valorem - As introduced, establishes limitations on the property tax rates set by a county or municipality. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Real Property - As introduced, makes void and unenforceable any restrictions on the operation of a family child care home or group child care home that may be in a homeowners' association declaration that applies to a property where a family child care home or group child care home is or will be sited by the property owner; makes other changes relative to restrictions on the use of real property. - Amends TCA Title 66.

Salaries and Benefits - As introduced, requires employers to pay employees an hourly wage of at least $20 beginning January 1, 2027, with annual adjustments by the commissioner of labor and workforce development based on increases in the consumer price index; establishes posting mandates, civil liability for violations, and a two-to-three-year statute of limitations for recovery actions. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 9; Title 13; Title 29; Title 47; Title 50; Title 57; Title 58; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68.

Tennessee Housing Development Agency - As introduced, enacts the "First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program," which creates a first-time homebuyer assistance program, to be administered by the agency. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 13, Chapter 23.

Human Rights - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Fair Chance Housing Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 21 and Title 66.

Massage Therapy - As introduced, enacts the "Interstate Massage Compact." - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 63.

Agriculture, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to prohibit the sale of a food product that includes certain chemical ingredients, unless it has a warning label, if the FDA requires the ingredient to be disclosed and the food product is intended to be consumed by humans. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53.

Planning, Public - As introduced, enacts the "Electric Grid Resilience, Transparency, and Planning Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 58 and Title 65.

Public Records - As introduced, specifies that certain information related to the carrying out of a sentence of death is not confidential and is open to public inspection. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7.

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, requires a blood bank to comply with a physician's order for an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation for a specific patient; requires a hospital to allow a patient who is scheduled for a medical procedure to provide an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation upon order of a physician. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 32.

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.

Safety - As introduced, requires newly installed storm drains and culverts constructed after July 1, 2026, to be equipped with a safety cover or grate if the opening is large enough that a child could reasonably fall into or become trapped within the structure. - Amends TCA Title 12 and Title 68.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates a rebuttable presumption that a license or renewal should be denied by the board of nursing if the applicant or licensee has a conviction for certain alcohol-related offenses that involved injury to another person. - Amends TCA Title 63.

State Employees - As introduced, creates a procedure for a state employee who has reasonable cause to suspect that improper government conduct or a crime has occurred to report the matter to a supervisor and for the supervisor to report that information to the attorney general and reporter. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 50.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, excludes from the definition of a public swimming pool subject to regulation in the same manner as a hotel or public swimming pool by the department of health any privately owned, controlled-access, above-ground swimming pool that is installed indoors at a fitness facility and used only by facility staff and students for the purpose of swimming instruction if the pool meets certain criteria. - Amends TCA Title 68.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, reduces from 15 to 10 days, the time within which a person licensed to provide deferred presentment services must file a written report with the commissioner of financial institutions following the occurrence of the filing for bankruptcy or reorganization; the institution of revocation or suspension proceedings by any state or governmental authority; the denial of the opportunity to engage in deferred presentment services by any state or governmental authority; any felony indictment or conviction of the licensee or any of its directors, officers, or principals; and other events that the commissioner may determine and identify by rule. - Amends TCA Title 45 and Title 47.

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, requires the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners to create and maintain a student identification number for each applicant accruing instructional hours; prohibits the board from using a student's social security number as a public-facing identifier of the person. - Amends TCA Title 62, Chapter 3 and Title 62, Chapter 4.

Public Contracts - As introduced, requires a tire manufacturer or supplier responding to a solicitation to bid with this state, or who has an existing contract with this state, to indicate each tire, by product, and material number, that is manufactured with 100 percent French process zinc oxide. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9 and Title 12.

Water Authorities - As introduced, establishes that public water systems have a maximum allowable hardwater level of 180 mg/L, measured as calcium carbonate equivalents; creates compliance and reporting requirements; exempts measurements that exceed the limit due to seasonal runoff in certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7.

Taxes, Real Property - As introduced, redefines "movable structure" for purposes of classification and assessment of property so that a mobile home or other movable structure that is used as a residence or apartment must be used permanently as such instead of temporarily or permanently. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Landlord and Tenant - As introduced, states that unlawful detainer actions are confidential and shielded from public inspection if the action was filed on or after July 1, 2026, the case was dismissed by the court or a party, an appeal is not pending in the case, and three years have passed since the date the action was filed or the parties have agreed in writing to shield the records from public disclosure. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 29, Chapter 18 and Title 66.

Sheriffs - As introduced, prohibits the county legislative body of a county with a charter form of government from adopting a budget that reduces the budget for the sheriff below the budgeted amount for the previous fiscal year unless the reduction is approved in writing by the sheriff; authorizes a sheriff to approve or disapprove a budget amendment that would reduce personnel, operational, or capital expenditures below the level proposed by the sheriff; authorizes the county legislative body to override the sheriff's disapproval by a two-thirds vote. - Amends TCA Title 5, Chapter 1, Part 2; Title 5, Chapter 9, Part 4 and Title 8, Chapter 20, Part 1.

Notary Public - As introduced, requires the secretary of state to appoint notaries public to commissions in this state; prescribes additional requirements to be commissioned as a notary public in this state. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 16 and Title 23.

Immigration - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Private Workplace Due Process and Warrant Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8; Title 38; Title 50; Title 62 and Title 66.

Animal Control - As introduced, requires the owner of a dangerous dog to register the dangerous dog with the animal control authority for the area in which the dog is kept for a period of three years, restrain the dangerous dog at all times on a leash or in a secure enclosure, and obtain liability insurance coverage; establishes a public dangerous dog registry. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 44.

Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, prohibits a utility that provides electric, water, wastewater, or natural gas services from increasing the rate charged to customers who are 65 years of age or older upon notice that the customer qualifies for such rate cap pursuant to an age verification process established by the Tennessee public utilities commission (TPUC) by rule; requires notification to customers of the rate cap program within 90 days of a final rule; authorizes TPUC to promulgate a rule to develop an age verification and notification process. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 64; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68.

Traffic Safety - As introduced, authorizes the seizure and impoundment of a motor vehicle used in drag racing, based on probable cause, for a maximum of 72 hours; authorizes owner of motor vehicle to contest seizure in administrative or judicial hearing. - Amends TCA Title 6; Title 7; Title 16; Title 40 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 5.

Workers Compensation - As introduced, enacts the "Zero Estimated Exposure Policy Act." - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 6.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, requires health benefit plans entered into, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for services related to acquired brain injury; requires the commissioner of commerce and insurance to promulgate rules to provide a process for an expedited appeal of an adverse determination related to such coverage. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires state and local criminal justice agencies to share all criminal justice data and records, including relevant personally identifying information and demographic information, held by that agency with a bona fide researcher for the purpose of facilitating and promoting criminal justice research. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 38.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, enacts the "Safe Highways and Roads Enforcement (SHARE) Act," which requires the court to assess an additional fine against a person convicted of a moving traffic violation or driving under the influence of an intoxicant; requires the additional fines be deposited into the state highway fund. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 55.

Lottery, Scholarships and Programs - As introduced, allows a student who was ineligible for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship as an entering freshman based on their high school grade point average or composite ACT score to regain their eligibility for the HOPE scholarship as a transfer student if the student meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, allows a court to issue an extreme risk protection order upon a finding by clear and convincing evidence that a person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to the person or others if allowed to possess or purchase a firearm; authorizes a law enforcement officer or relative to file a petition for an extreme risk protection order; creates an offense to store or keep a firearm in any place unless the firearm is secured in a locked container, unloaded, and separate from ammunition except when the firearm is carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user; prohibits a gun dealer from delivering a firearm to a purchaser until 15 business days after the completion of certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 38 and Title 39, Chapter 17.

Civil Procedure - As introduced, revives causes of action based on a sexual assault that occurred when the injured party was 18 years of age or older and are time-barred because the applicable statute of limitations has expired; allows such actions to be commenced within a certain time period. - Amends TCA Title 28, Chapter 3; Title 39 and Title 40.

State Government - As introduced, requires state departments and agencies to submit annual reports on achieving economic efficiency to the governor in addition to committees of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 8 and Title 9.

Bail, Bail Bonds - As introduced, permits a professional bondsman to issue and retain the required receipt for money or other consideration received in a digital format. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 11.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, requires, if the respondent on an order of protection dispossesses firearms by transferring possession to a third party who is not prohibited from possessing firearms, the respondent to specify the third party and the physical address where all firearms are located on the affidavit of firearms dispossession form; requires the third party to sign the affidavit of firearms dispossession form to acknowledge receipt of the firearms. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6.

Lottery, Scholarships and Programs - As introduced, expands eligibility for a dual enrollment grant to include students who are sophomores in high school and admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, specifies that for purposes of carrying out a sentence of death, lethal injection protocol may include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl. - Amends TCA Title 40.

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. -

Alcoholic Beverages - As introduced, authorizes the issuance of a retail package store license to an operator within the general services district of a metropolitan government that has approved the retail sale of liquor for off-premises consumption by local option election. - Amends TCA Title 7 and Title 57.

Driver Licenses - As introduced, clarifies that the report made by a participant in the digital driver license system that the participant's electronic device has been lost or stolen must be made to the department of safety for purposes of terminating the person's participation in the system. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50.

Immigration - As introduced, affords an individual detained pursuant to a federal detention agreement certain rights while detained. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 10; Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

Election Laws - As introduced, enacts the "Election Integrity Act of 2026"; creates a process by which a candidate in a local election may challenge the results of the election prior to certification of the election if the candidate has reason to believe errors were made in the adminstration of the election. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 49.

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.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, allows a nonprofit or for-profit entity that operates an adult high school under a contract with a local board of education to receive state and local funding in years subsequent to the first year of the adult high school's operation based on current enrollment numbers that are reported and adjusted no less than three times per year. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Education - As introduced, prohibits local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies from allowing, through their policies, a material in a library collection to be removed while it is being evaluated by the local board, governing body, or the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission, if applicable, until a determination is made as to whether the material is appropriate for the age and maturity level of the students who may access it, and whether the material is suitable for, and consistent with, the educational mission of the school. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

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.

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, repeals the "Tennessee Community Schools Act"; enacts the "Tennessee Full Service Community Schools Act." - Amends TCA Title 49.