114 session

Emergency Communications Districts - As enacted, authorizes a motor vehicle operated by an emergency communications district that is marked as a mobile command vehicle or mobile communications vehicle to display flashing red or white lights or a combination of flashing red and white lights. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 9, Part 4.

2025-04-04 — Effective date(s) 03/28/2025

Public Utility Commission - As enacted, prohibits the commission from exercising regulatory authority over the entry of, rates for, or terms or conditions used by a broadband internet access service or interconnected VoIP service, or from treating a provider of such services as a carrier; makes other changes related to broadband services. - Amends TCA Title 7 and Title 65.

2025-04-04 — Effective date(s) 03/28/2025

Schools, Home - As introduced, eliminates various requirements for parents conducting a home school if the parent provides a normed curriculum to their child at home; prohibits this state from regulating, overseeing, or otherwise imposing requirements on a home school parent or student unless the home school parent or student is participating in a state program or applies for and receives state funds. - Amends TCA Title 49.

2025-02-12 — Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee

Sentencing - As introduced, adds as an enhancement factor to be used in determining the sentence within the permissible range for a criminal offense that the defendant is an adult and committed the offense with a minor, regardless of whether the minor was convicted of the offense. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

2025-04-09 — Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, enacts the "Anti-Road Rage Act of 2024," which creates a Class E felony for the reckless discharge of a firearm while operating, or as a passenger in, a motor vehicle; creates a Class A misdemeanor for the reckless brandishing or display of a firearm while operating, or as a passenger in, a motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 55.

2025-03-26 — Def. to Summer Study in Criminal Justice Subcommittee

Safety, Dept. of - As introduced, changes the timeframe within which a permit holder must notify the department in writing of the permit holder's new address from within 60 days of a change in the permit holder's principal place of residence to within 90 days of a change in the permit holder's principal place of residence. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 13; Title 16; Title 29; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 47; Title 49; Title 50; Title 52; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 70.

2026-04-07 — Reset on Final cal. 4 of Criminal Justice Subcommittee

Local Education Agencies - As introduced, authorizes recall elections in all counties for members of local boards of education. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 49, Chapter 2.

2025-02-12 — Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, creates the medical expense relief fund to assist the next of kin and the estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death with paying the decedent's medical debt and expenses; requires the department of human services to administer the fund and the awarding of grants. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 9 and Title 71.

2025-04-16 — Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/16/2025

Education - As enacted, prohibits excusing a student from school to attend a released time course in religious moral instruction during the school year unless certain criteria are met. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2; Title 49, Chapter 5 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

2025-05-13 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 401

Death - As introduced, requires, if the person or government agency assuming custody of a body for the purposes of burial does not request an autopsy, or that the body be embalmed, the person or agency to ensure that the body is buried within 48 hours from the time when the person or agency waives the ability to request an autopsy or embalming of the body. - Amends TCA Title 34, Chapter 6, Part 37; Title 38; Title 50; Title 56; Title 62, Chapter 5; Title 62, Chapter 6 and Title 68.

2026-03-25 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee

Education - As introduced, creates the school safety grant fund to be administered by the department of education; requires that school safety grants be used to support local education agencies and public charter schools with prevention, reduction, and response efforts with regard to school shootings. - Amends TCA Title 9 and Title 49.

2026-03-24 — Taken off notice for cal. in Education Committee

Public Records - As enacted, deletes the automatic repeal on July 1, 2025, of a provision that authorizes records custodians to seek an injunction against a person who makes requests to view or copy public records with the intent to disrupt government operations. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.

2025-05-13 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 392

Scholarships and Financial Aid - As introduced, enacts the "Speak UP, Tennessee Scholarship Act"; requires the Tennessee student assistance corporation to establish by rules a program that provides scholarships for students in grade 12 and at public institutions of higher education in this state who demonstrate artistic excellence in spoken word poetry through a competitive, performance-based selection process to pursue higher education to further develop their literary and performance skills. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4 and Title 49, Chapter 7.

2025-02-12 — Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

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.

2026-03-18 — Taken off notice for cal. in State & Local Government Committee

Criminal Procedure - As enacted, establishes a permanent criminal proceedings notification system, rather than a pilot project; removes the July 1, 2025, termination date for the criminal proceedings notification system. - Amends TCA Section 40-38-507.

2025-05-08 — Effective date(s) 05/02/2025

Revenue, Dept. of - As enacted, reduces from 1.125 percent to 0.75 percent the administrative fee percentage the department takes from the proceeds of the business tax, short-term rental unit occupancy tax, local tax surcharge, coal severance tax, and local option sales tax to assist in defraying the expenses of administration and collection, before remitting proceeds to the appropriate county, city, or town. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 4; Title 67, Chapter 6 and Title 67, Chapter 7.

2025-05-08 — Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As introduced, requires a member of TCRS to provide a copy of any final workers' compensation settlement or judgment to the retirement system no later than 45 days, rather than 30 days, after the settlement or judgment becomes final. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 8; Title 35; Title 49; Title 50; Title 56; Title 66 and Title 71.

2025-02-12 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Election Laws - As introduced, requires county election commissions to include three non-binding questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the November 2026 ballot; requires the secretary of state to compile the results of the non-binding, advisory referendum, publish the results on the secretary of state's website, and forward the results to the members of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 2.

2025-02-12 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Taxes, Real Property - As enacted, provides that a collecting official or the division of property assessments is not required to request documentation verifying the income of an elderly person seeking tax relief if the applicant is at least 80 years old and meets certain other requirements. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 7.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1063

TennCare - As introduced, directs the governor to seek a new TennCare waiver within 180 days of the effective date of this act to provide medical assistance coverage for individuals whose gross annual income is equal to or less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level; clarifies that the amendment takes effect upon federal approval. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.

2026-02-03 — Failed in s/c Tenncare Subcommittee of Insurance Committee

Sentencing - As enacted, adds aggravating circumstances for a jury to consider when determining the sentence of a defendant convicted of certain offenses. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

2026-04-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 693

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.

2026-03-23 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 591

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.

2026-01-21 — Withdrawn.

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.

2026-03-11 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

Secretary of State - As enacted, requires the secretary of state to omit from each annual publication of agency information mailing addresses and telephone numbers of agency members. - Amends TCA Section 10-7-604.

2026-04-06 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 612

Constitutional Conventions - As enacted, revises faithful delegate laws pertaining to Article V conventions. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 18.

2026-04-28 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 689

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.

2026-04-15 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

Education - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee School Safety Act of 2026"; requires a student who has been expelled on two or more separate occasions for the zero tolerance offense of threatening mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity to submit to a psychiatric examination conducted by a medical professional; prohibits the student from returning to school or a school-related activity until the medical professional finds that the student is no longer a threat to the school and can safely return to school. - Amends TCA Section 39-13-813 and Title 49, Chapter 6.

2026-02-10 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Education Administration Subcommittee of Education Committee

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.

2026-03-18 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

Sentencing - As enacted, requires a sentencing court to order the sentences for two or more offenses involving more than one minor victim to run consecutively unless the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the facts of the case do not warrant the imposition of consecutive sentences and the imposition of consecutive sentences would not be in the best interest of justice. - Amends TCA Title 40.

2026-05-15 — Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

Sunset Laws - As enacted, extends the department of children's services to June 30, 2028; requires the department to report back to the government operations committee by December 31, 2026, to update the committee on its progress in addressing the findings and observations set forth in the December 2025 performance audit report. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 37, Chapter 5.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1067

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.

2026-01-22 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Recreational Areas - As introduced, expands the purposes for which monies from the Ocoee River recreation and economic development fund may be expended by the Ocoee River recreation and economic development fund board; replaces the park manager member of the board with the director of the division of state parks. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 10 and Title 11, Chapter 8.

2026-02-04 — Withdrawn.

Open Meetings - As enacted, authorizes emergency communications district boards of directors to participate in board meetings electronically under the open meetings law. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 86, Part 3 and Title 8, Chapter 44, Part 1.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1099

Education, Higher - As introduced, requires each public institution of higher education to classify a student who is the spouse of a service member who has not resided in this state for at least one year as an in-state student for tuition purposes if the service member's spouse resides in this state while enrolled in the institution; adds dependants of active-duty military personnel or veterans residing outside of this state to those who are eligible to receive the in-state tuition rate at a public institution of higher education; requires, instead of allows, the governing board of each such institution to provide the in-state tuition rate to military-affiliated individuals. - Amends TCA Title 49.

2026-04-15 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

School Transportation - As introduced, lowers the minimum age, from 25 to 23, that is necessary to receive an initial school bus endorsement; authorizes local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies to adopt policies prescribing the qualifications of school bus drivers in the interest of the safety and health of school pupils. - Amends TCA Section 5-8-102; Title 49 and Title 55.

2026-04-15 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways and Means Committee

Open Meetings - As enacted, adds the governing body of a local education agency and certain other local governing bodies of a public body with the authority to make binding decisions or the ability to appropriate funds to the list of governing bodies that are required to make meeting agendas available to the public in advance of such meetings. - Amends TCA Section 8-44-110.

2026-04-28 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 699

Garnishments and Executions - As enacted, clarifies that the sheriff or other person authorized by law to serve garnishments is authorized to demand that the fee for performing service of a garnishment be paid in advance of such performance. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 21, Part 9.

2026-04-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 692

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.

2026-03-23 — Taken off notice for cal. in Judiciary Committee

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.

2026-03-18 — Def. to Summer Study in Business & Utilities Subcommittee

Food and Food Products - As enacted, prohibits LEAs and public charter schools from selling, offering for sale, or providing to students on school property through a school nutrition program any food or beverage item that contains Allura Red AC; Erythrosine B; Tartrazine; Sunset Yellow FCF; Erioglaucine disodium salt; Indigo carmine; or Fast Green FCF. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

2026-04-02 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 619

General Assembly - As introduced, decreases from 50 to 25 miles a member's principal residence is from the capitol for purposes of the member receiving the hotel portion of per diem; prohibits such members from receiving a daily mileage allowance. - Amends TCA Section 3-1-106.

2026-04-15 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

Real Property - As enacted, authorizes a tax increment agency to enter into a taxpayer agreement relative to a plan area after obtaining a written statement executed by each holder of an existing, previously recorded mortgage or deed of trust on the property securing indebtedness and in which each holder consents to the taxpayer agreement and indicates that the assessment does not constitute an event of default under the existing mortgage or deed of trust. - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 23 and Title 67, Chapter 5.

2026-05-18 — Effective date(s) 05/01/2026

Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As enacted, requires retirement credit established for a period of disability for a commissioned member of the department of safety or agent of the Tennessee bureau of investigation to be at no cost to that member; authorizes political subdivisions that pass a resolution to establish retirement credit for its employees to allow the credit for a period of disability for any member who is subject to mandatory retirements to be at no cost to such person. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 34, Part 6.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1110

Education, Dept. of - As enacted, allows a local board of education or public charter school governing body that has not received funding from the department for purposes of awarding its teachers the bonus authorized in the Education Freedom Act of 2025 to pass the required resolution and notify the department of the same within 21 calendar days from the date the Act becomes a law, to receive funding from the department to award bonuses to teachers employed in the 2024-2025 school year. - Amends Chapter 7 of the Public Acts of the First Extraordinary Session of 2025.

2026-04-06 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 655

Environment and Conservation, Department of - As introduced, requires proposed subdivision plans to be approved by a local planning commission or other agency authorized to approve such plans prior to their submission to the department for approval rather than such plans being approved by the department first. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 68, Chapter 221.

2026-02-04 — Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee