Tennessee Bills

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, establishes a sales tax holiday for the retail sale of firearms and ammunition during the period of July 3-6, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6, Part 3.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, establishes a sales tax holiday on food and food ingredients and on prepared food from July 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026, if purchased by a person at least 65 years of age. - Amends TCA Section 67-6-228 and Title 67, Chapter 6, Part 3.

Claims Commission, Tennessee - As introduced, increases the amount for which the state may be liable for damages in causes of action arising in tort from $300,000 per claimant to $500,000 per claimant and from $1 million per occurrence to $1.5 million per occurrence. - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 8 and Title 29.

Taxes, Business - As introduced, exempts services furnished by persons engaged in the appraisal of real estate or real property from business tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 7.

Recreational Areas - As introduced, changes from January 8 to January 31 the date by which the executive director of the Tennessee wildlife resources agency must submit an annual report on the administration of Reelfoot Lake natural area. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 11; Section 28-3-117; Title 39 and Title 70, Chapter 5.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts from sales tax, the first $20 of the sales price on a sale of tangible personal property paid for with physical cash declared legal tender, including gold and silver. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6, Part 3.

Juvenile Offenders - As introduced, decreases from six to four the number of hours a juvenile detention facility may delay a telephone call or in-person visit if a child is subject to disciplinary action. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 37 and Title 41.

Children's Services, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to conserve any federal funds a child in the department's care is eligible for or may receive for the child's reasonable, foreseeable future needs or use for special needs services not currently being provided by the department. - Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 37.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, exempts the sale or use of menstrual hygiene products from sales and use tax. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Taxes - As introduced, adds the office of legislative budget analysis as a recipient of the annual report submitted by the commissioner of revenue to the members of the committees of the house of representatives and the senate with subject matter jurisdiction over finance-related matters on franchise and excise tax credits claimed under present law. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 67.

Controlled Substances - As introduced, removes Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCa) and Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCp) from the list of authorized hemp-derived cannabinoids. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4 and Title 43, Chapter 27.

Sports - As introduced, requires each student who participates in a school youth athletic activity to file with the local education agency (LEA) or public charter school a preparticipation medical evaluation or an exemption; creates the safe stars advisory committee. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 36 and Title 68, Chapter 6.

Licenses - As introduced, enacts the "Ola Mae Ransom Reintegration Act," which exempts veterans of the United States military, including the national guard and reserves, from payment of the $15 fee for a business license. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 67.

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.

Advertising - As introduced, requires just compensation to be paid for the acquisition or removal of an outdoor advertising device lawfully erected; prohibits the use of amortization to provide such just compensation. - Amends TCA Title 29, Chapter 16 and Section 54-21-107.

General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Affirms support for the State of Israel. -

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, requires the board of claims to hear claims for compensation by persons wrongfully imprisoned whose charges are dismissed and sentences vacated; authorizes persons whose charges were dismissed and sentences vacated prior to enactment of this legislation to file a claim within one year; authorizes surviving spouse and children the right to file a claim with the board of claims on behalf of a person who was wrongfully imprisoned and died prior to filing a claim; grants surviving adult children the same right as surviving minor children to receive payments from an award. - Amends TCA Section 9-8-108.

Veterans - As introduced, removes the market value cap used for calculating property tax relief on the primary residence for disabled veterans who are eligible for property tax relief and requires the state to fully reimburse such veterans for local property taxes paid for a given tax year on that property. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 7.

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - As introduced, exempts from the sales and use tax the sale of a motor vehicle to an active-duty military service member who is a resident of this state and stationed out-of-state. - Amends TCA Section 67-6-303.

Fees - As introduced, creates the "Tennessee Live Music Support Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 47 and Title 67.

Local Government, General - As introduced, requires proposed contingent fee contracts for legal services between a political subdivision of this state and a private-sector attorney to be approved by the attorney general and reporter prior to execution of the contract. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8 and Title 29.

Business Organizations - As introduced, requires the comptroller of the treasury to submit a report, on or before December 31, 2026, to the governor, the speaker of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chair of the state and local government committee of the senate, and the chair of the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over housing containing a summary of certain de-identified information related to real estate investment trusts' purchases and sales of single-family homes in this state in 2025. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 47; Title 48; Title 61; Title 66 and Title 67.

Flags - As introduced, requires the governor to proclaim a statewide day of mourning and order the state flag to be flown at half staff over the state capitol during such period of mourning if a current or former member of the general assembly dies, unless the member had been convicted of a felony. - Amends TCA Title 4.

Transportation, Dept. of - As introduced, requires each safety rest area that provides restrooms for the public to provide access to at least one family restroom. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 54 and Title 68, Chapter 120.

Memorials, Recognition - National Epilepsy Awareness Month -

Morristown - Subject to local approval, makes the elections for council members at-large elections; eliminates council wards. - Amends Chapter 103 of the Acts of 1903; as amended and rewritten.

Taxes, Real Property - As introduced, increases exemption to a maximum of 400 acres for certain nonprofit entities. - Amends TCA Section 67-5-212.

Union County - Subject to local approval, changes the building permit fee to fifty cents per square foot on all buildings constructed, erected, or reconstructed. - Amends Chapter 87 of the Private Acts of 1973; as amended.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates a Class A misdemeanor for knowingly giving, selling, lending, delivering, or otherwise transferring a firearm to a person when the transferor knows or reasonably should know that the person receiving the firearm is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13.

South Pittsburg - Subject to local approval, removes the requirement that the city administrator reside within the municipal limits to instead require residence within a 50-mile radius of the municipal limits. - Amends Chapter 213 of the Private Acts of 1992; as amended.

Fiscal Review Committee - As introduced, clarifies which procurement contracts are subject to review by the fiscal review committee of the general assembly; removes requirement that impact to commerce statements be included on fiscal notes prepared by the fiscal review committee. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 2 and Title 4, Chapter 56.

Taxes, Privilege - As introduced, authorizes municipalities to levy a tax on the privilege of engaging in the act of development within the boundaries of the municipality; requires such tax to be levied at the rate and under the terms, conditions, and limitations contained in present law that apply to counties. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 29.

Sentencing - As introduced, requires a defendant to be sentenced to imprisonment for life as a repeat violent offender under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.

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.

Election Laws - As introduced, makes changes to the process for voting absentee under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. - Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 6, Part 5.

Real Property - As introduced, prohibits the state or a local or municipal government from requiring a builder or developer of real property to pay for the building or development of infrastructure that is nonessential to the development, maintenance, or growth of the builder's development property. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 54 and Title 66.

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, changes the date, from February 1 to February 15, by which the department of revenue must submit its annual report regarding information and findings and any recommendations concerning sales taxes the department collects on the sale of electronic nicotine delivery devices to the speaker of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, and chairs of the finance, ways and means committees of the senate and house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

Veterans Services, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department to submit a report on the total number of state and federal benefits, and a synopsis of each benefit, available to a veteran and the veteran's surviving spouse to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives on or before January 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 52; Title 68 and Title 71.

Libraries - As introduced, requires public libraries established by a county, city, or town to adopt a materials reconsideration policy that provides a process by which any legal resident of the county where the library is located may request that the library withdraw an item from the library's collection or reclassify or move the item to a different area in the library. - Amends TCA Title 10.

Law Enforcement - As introduced, requires a law enforcement agency that uses body cameras to adopt a written policy for the use of the cameras by its law enforcement officers; establishes certain requirements for the policies. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 1.

Veterans - As introduced, requires local governmental entities to invite honorably discharged veterans who apply for employment or promotion to interview; requires preference be given to such veteran if the minimum qualifications and the skills, abilities, competencies, and knowledge of the veteran and any another applicant being interviewed for the position are equal; requires state and local application forms to provide the option for an applicant to declare veteran status. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51; Title 8, Chapter 30, Part 3 and Title 58, Chapter 2.

Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As introduced, increases the employer contribution under the hybrid retirement plan from 5 percent to 10 percent for current members of the general assembly who have 10 years of creditable service on or after July 1, 2026. - Amends TCA Section 8-36-916.

County Government - As introduced, increases from two to three days, the minimum notice period required for a county mayor to convene a special session of the county legislative body for emergency purposes. - Amends TCA Title 5 and Title 6.

General Assembly - As introduced, requires the speakers of the senate and house of representatives to determine an equivalent number of legislative conferences, or number of legislative conference days, for which a member of the senate or house of representatives is entitled to attend for purposes of receiving expense and mileage allowances. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 1.

Veterans - As introduced, enacts the “Tennessee Veteran Protection and Due Process Act.” - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8; Title 38 and Title 58.

Correction, Dept. of - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education Act." - Amends TCA Title 24; Title 33; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

General Assembly - As introduced, beginning November 3, 2026, increases the monthly office expense allowance to $2,251; requires such allowance to be adjusted monthly based on the consumer price index. - Amends TCA Title 3.

General Assembly - As introduced, requires a state governmental entity to disclose records and information to a member of the general assembly to enable the member to determine whether the laws of this state are being complied with and to determine whether the laws of this state need to be changed in accordance with certain procedures. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4 and Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.

Taxes, Real Property - As introduced, requires a local governmental entity to hold a referendum to approve a property tax increase that exceeds specified thresholds. - Amends TCA Title 48 and Title 67, Chapter 5.

Public Officials - As introduced, requires that certain personally identifying information of elected state and local public officials be maintained confidentially with limited exceptions. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 10, Chapter 7.

Naming and Designating - As introduced, designates the bog turtle as an official state reptile. - Amends TCA Section 4-1-321.

General Assembly - As introduced, authorizes the chair of a committee of the general assembly to require an executive branch employee to take an oath prior to testifying before the committee subject to the penalty of perjury; authorizes the chair of a committee or the executive director of fiscal review to require any documentation submitted by such employee for the purpose of evaluating the merits of a legislative measure or generating a fiscal note to submit an affidavit with such documentation attesting to the accuracy of the information subject to the penalty of perjury. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4; Title 29; Title 39 and Title 40.

Taxes, Ad Valorem - As introduced, clarifies that a notification sent by email from the assessor to a taxpayer of a change in the classification or assessed valuation of the taxpayer's property is effective when electronically sent. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.

Zoning - As introduced, removes requirement that a structure rebuilt on a site must conform to the zoning regulations existing at the time of the new construction. - Amends TCA Title 13, Chapter 7.

Sentencing - As introduced, increases the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony; increases the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident that the person knew or should reasonably have known resulted in death from a Class E felony to a Class D felony. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10.

Public Employees - As introduced, enacts the "Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 16; Title 20 and Title 49.

Holidays and Days of Special Observance - As introduced, designates September 10 of each year as "Charlie Kirk Day." - Amends TCA Title 15, Chapter 2.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, requires a pharmacy services administrative organization or similar entity that receives maximum allowable cost list or related information from a contracted pharmacy to destroy the shared information within five business days of receipt of a written request for destruction from the sharing pharmacy. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 56.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, prohibits an insurer, pharmacy benefits manager, or third-party administrator from changing or conditioning the terms of health plan coverage based on availability of financial or other product assistance for a prescription drug; establishes certain procedures for calculating an enrollee's contribution to an applicable cost sharing requirement. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Energy - As introduced, enacts the "Bring Your Own Generation Act." - Amends TCA Section 39-17-1002; Section 67-6-102 and Title 68.