Tennessee Senate Bills

Education, Dept. of - As introduced, establishes October 15 of each year as the date by which the department must submit an early grades reading report; updates the committees for which the department must submit the early grades reading report to be the education committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education. - Amends Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and TCA Title 4; Title 8 and Title 49.

Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Tennessee to authorize the General Assembly to set the dates and manner of elections. -

Constitutional Amendments - Proposes adding a provision establishing the right to food that includes the right to save and exchange seeds and the right to grow, raise, harvest, produce, and acquire and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health, and well-being. -

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.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, enacts the "Agricultural Right to Repair Act." - Amends TCA Title 43 and Title 47, Chapter 18.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, prohibits electric utilities and high performance computing centers in this state from using transformers, parts, or equipment manufactured or sold by entities owned or controlled by foreign adversaries to support any part of their operations; requires such utilities and centers to report to the comptroller of the treasury; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 65 and Title 68.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, increases, from 60 to 65 days, the time that a controller has after receipt of an appeal from a consumer regarding the controller's refusal to take action on a consumer request under the Tennessee Information Protection Act to inform the consumer in writing of action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decision. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 39 and Title 47.

Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As introduced, exempts the retail sale of food and food ingredients from the sales tax if sold to a person who is 65 or older and a Tennessee resident. - Amends TCA Section 67-6-228.

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, increases, from 60 to 65 days prior to the effective date of the change, the required minimum notice that a health insurance entity must provide to a healthcare provider of any material change made in the sole discretion of the insurance entity to the entity's previously released provider manual or a reimbursement rule and policy. - Amends TCA Title 56, Chapter 7.

State Government - As introduced, expands the requirements of the 2026 and 2027 annual reports to be submitted by the artificial intelligence advisory council to the governor, speaker of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives by requiring such reports to include recommendations on strategies to detect and minimize the risk of fraud committed by persons using artificial intelligence. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 29; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 53; Title 62; Title 63; Title 65; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 71.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, updates the mandatory notice regarding security freezes to specify that identity theft complaints to the federal trade commission and attorney general and reporter may be submitted via electronic means as specified by the federal trade commission and the attorney general and reporter, instead of only in writing or via their websites. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 47; Title 49; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

Corporations, Not for Profit - As introduced, enacts the "Volunteer Communities Act," which provides an unincorporated association or nonprofit corporation organized primarily to provide mutual support and assistance within a community or neighborhood certain benefits, including franchise and excise, sales, and property tax credits and exemptions, and certain liability, food, and zoning protections for mutual aid activities conducted by the organization. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 13, Chapter 7; Title 29; Title 48; Title 53 and Title 67.

Employees, Employers - As introduced, enacts the "Workers' Right to Live Act," which places mandatory reporting requirements on employers concerning workplace fatalities and imposes penalties on employers for workplace fatalities that were a result of employer negligence; makes changes related to workers' compensation benefits. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 29 and Title 50.

Health, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the commissioner to use existing resources to conduct a study of the use of designated caregivers for admitted patients in hospitals in neighboring states in order to determine the prevalence of and identify the best practices for the use of designated caregivers; requires the commissioner to compile study findings and any legislative recommendations into a report to the general assembly no later than December 31, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 68.

Contractors - As introduced, requires the state board for licensing contractors to notify the department of commerce and insurance of a disciplinary action against a contractor upon posting the notice of disciplinary action on its website. - Amends TCA Title 13; Title 62, Chapter 6 and Title 66.

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

TennCare - As introduced, requires a managed care organization or pharmacy benefits manager that is contracted with the bureau to reimburse a claim for a long-acting injectable drug intended for treatment and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus and administered in a pharmacy, physician's office, clinic, ambulatory surgical treatment center, or hospital. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 56 and Title 71.

Health Care - As introduced, exempts a nurse who provides home health services to four or less patients from hiring staff or maintaining an office in order to qualify for licensure as a home care organization by the health facilities commission; requires a nurse who does not hire staff or maintain an office to submit a request to the department of health for space at a location deemed appropriate by the department to securely store patient records. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

Children - As introduced, requires certain commercial online platforms, websites, and applications to maintain a content moderation system that allows users to report material harmful to minors that is not properly marked or age-restricted; makes other changes related to platform content and minors. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 9 and Title 47, Chapter 18.

Employees, Employers - As introduced, requires private-sector employers to compensate employees for accumulated paid leave upon separation from service from employment. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 50, Chapter 2.

Professions and Occupations - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Professionals' Freedom of Religion Act." - Amends TCA Title 4.

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.

Housing - As introduced, provides for the regulation of accessory dwelling units. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 66 and Title 68.

Energy - As introduced, enacts the "Data Center, Artificial Intelligence, and Clean Transition Tariff Accountability Act." - Amends TCA Title 7 and Title 65.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, requires certain food retail establishments to use a nondigital presentation of price; prohibits a food retail establishment from using personalized algorithmic pricing; makes other changes related to food retail establishments. - Amends TCA Title 47 and Title 53.

Children - As introduced, requires, in contested child custody, dependency and neglect, adoption, and guardianship proceedings in which the court has appointed a guardian ad litem, a court to order the child to be evaluated by a qualified expert unless the court determines an examination is unnecessary; requires the expert to submit a report containing certain information; specifies that the submitted report constitutes prima facie evidence of the child's condition and the factors relevant to the child's best interest; specifies various other requirements for the guardian ad litem's consideration of the report and the allocation of the examination costs. - Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 37.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, states that a person who has not been convicted of a violent, felony crime and who is lawfully able to own or to possess a firearm under the Constitution of Tennessee is considered to be individually licensed and verified by this state within the meaning of the provisions regarding individual licensure and verification in the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act. - Amends TCA Title 39.

Computers and Electronic Processing - As introduced, requires high performance computing (HPC) facility operators to devote 50 percent of the computing and data processing output of the facility for a public benefit; requires HPC facility operators to produce an annual report of the facility's energy consumption and carbon footprint; requires such operators to conduct an annual internal compliance audit and submit to an audit upon request by certain governmental entities. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8 and Title 68.

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.

Remedies and Special Proceedings - As introduced, prevents a receivership proceeding from interfering with the rights of a superior interest holder in property subject to the receivership absent the express consent of the superior interest holder. - Amends TCA Title 29.

Courts, Juvenile - As introduced, requires the department of children's services, and others, to provide certain information to court-appointed special advocates in order to provide judicial officers with the most comprehensive information to be used in the consideration of the placement and custody of a child. - Amends TCA Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 1.

Law Enforcement - As introduced, entitles qualified law enforcement officers upon retirement or separation from service from their employing law enforcement agency to continue to maintain annual POST-certification upon meeting certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 8.

Real Property - As introduced, requires corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships that purchase or acquire residential rental property in this state to register the property with the secretary of state. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 47; Title 48; Title 61 and Title 66.

Local Government, General - As introduced, authorizes a municipality to create and require the use of a landlord registry for a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, or finances 10 or more dwelling units located within the municipality. - Amends TCA Title 66.

Consumer Protection - As introduced, requires the office of the attorney general and reporter to submit to the chair of the house committee having jurisdiction over consumer protection and the chair of the commerce and labor committee of the senate a report on the number of investigations into violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 in which artificial intelligence was used to effectuate an unfair or deceptive act or practice affecting the conduct of any trade or commerce between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025; requires the report to be submitted no later than July 1, 2026; allows the report to be submitted electronically. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 12; Title 39; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 50; Title 55; Title 61; Title 62; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67 and Title 68.

Election Laws - As introduced, requires all ballots cast in an election to have a secure watermark; requires the official tabulation count of a ballot scanner to be based on the text or machine mark portion of a ballot; makes certain other changes related to ballots and elections; creates programs for the scanning and auditing of ballots. - Amends TCA Title 2.

Memorials, Congress - Urges Congress to rename Dogwood Lane on federal property at Mountain Home VA the"Congressman Phil Roe Boulevard." -

Finance and Administration, Dept. of - As introduced, allows the department, office of criminal justice programs, to use available existing resources to seek appropriate funding and resources from the federal and state governments to design and implement grants to reduce gun violence in this state. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 38; Title 39; Title 47 and Title 68.

Civil Procedure - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Foreign Law Non-Recognition Act." - Amends TCA Title 20 and Title 29.

Sentencing - As introduced, increases the penalty for failing to stop at the scene of an accident when the person knew or should reasonably have known that death resulted from the accident by requiring a mandatory period of confinement of not less than one year and a minimum fine of $10,000. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40 and Title 55.

Civil Procedure - As introduced, creates an affirmative defense that may be utilized by a covered entity that is the subject of a data breach, if the covered entity’s cybersecurity program meets certain criteria at the time the breach occurs. - Amends TCA Title 20; Title 29 and Title 47, Chapter 18.

Children - As introduced, deletes the responsibility of a parent or legal guardian to ensure that such person's child receives vaccines as recommended by guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the American Academy of Pediatrics. - Amends TCA Title 37.

Criminal Offenses - As introduced, extends from 90 to 120 days, the amount of time any confiscated or seized property that was used in the offense of engaging in camping on public property must be held by the agency or its agent in a secure location before the property is either claimed or disposed of, unless the property is needed for evidence in a criminal proceeding. - Amends TCA Title 13; Title 16; Title 33; Title 39 and Title 40.

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.

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, changes from February 1 to February 15, the date by which the Tennessee bureau of investigation must report to the judiciary committee of the senate and the criminal justice committee of the house of representatives the amount of any background check fees charged to gun dealers that exceeds the costs associated with conducting background checks. - Amends TCA Title 16; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49 and Title 65.

General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Expresses opposition to The Boring Company's " Music City Loop" tunnel project in Davidson County. -

General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Expresses support for the reconstruction of the Columbia Dam Project on the Duck River and recognizes it as a critical priority to establish an adequate water supply system for sustained growth, economic development, and recreational use. -

Memorials, Recognition - Tennessee Shelter Animal Awareness Month -

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, exempts an LEA or public charter school from having to assign a third-grade student who is not proficient in English language arts a tutor through the Tennessee accelerating literacy and learning corps if the state does not appropriate sufficient funds to allow each LEA and public charter school to provide the required tutoring; conditions the requirement that LEAs participate in the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program on the availability of state appropriations for the program. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Livestock - As introduced, broadens the definition of alternative livestock under the Tennessee Livestock Dealer Act to include non-traditional livestock without hooves. - Amends TCA Title 44, Chapter 10.

Solid Waste Disposal - As introduced, prohibits municipalities, counties, and other political subdivisions of this state from disposing, or contracting for the disposal of, solid waste in a landfill located outside their territorial boundaries unless the host county or host municipality in which the landfill is located has entered into a host community agreement approving such disposal; applies to all contracts entered into for the disposal of solid waste on or after July 1, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 68, Chapter 211.

Solid Waste Disposal - As introduced, authorizes the department of environment and conservation to permit solid waste disposal systems to submit groundwater sampling reports in electronic format. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 11; Title 64; Title 67 and Title 68.

Education - As introduced, enacts the "Universal Pre-K Funding Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 51; Title 49 and Title 67.

Schools, Charter - As introduced, prevents a public charter school that has had its charter agreement renewed on appeal by the Tennessee public charter school commission from mutually agreeing with the local board of education for the LEA in which the public charter school is located for the local board to serve as its authorizer; allows the commission to determine, between five and 10 years, the term of a charter agreement renewed by the commission instead of automatically assigning all charter agreements renewed by the commission a 10-year term. - Amends TCA Title 49.

Education, Dept. of - As introduced, enacts the "School Mental Health Transparency Act"; requires the department to consult relevant agencies to compile a list of mental health resources; requires public schools to use the department's list to compile lists of mental health resources available to enrolled students and provide the lists to students' parents; requires that lists of mental health resources be published on the website of the department and each public school. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7; Title 33 and Title 49.

Highways, Roads and Bridges - As introduced, expands the authority for the department to set tolls to existing transportation facilities that are part of the state highway system or interstate and national defense highway system, located at the border of this state with another state, and where, on or after July 1, 2026, one or more new vehicle travel lanes are added to the facility or an HOV lane on the facility is converted to a high occupancy user fee lane. - Amends TCA Title 12; Title 54 and Title 55.

Tourism - As introduced, requires each local tourism development authority to file its annual report of its business affairs and transactions with the department of tourist development. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 67.

Energy - As introduced, authorizes the state energy policy council to submit electronically its annual comprehensive reports on its assessment of the state's energy sector and comprehensive state energy policy plan to the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29, Part 2; Title 4, Chapter 3 and Title 68, Chapter 204, Part 1.

Health Care - As introduced, creates the state uterine fibroids commission. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 63 and Title 68.

Energy - As introduced, removes restriction on the number of terms a member may serve on the state energy policy council. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29, Part 2 and Title 68, Chapter 204.