114 session

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.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Boards and Commissions - As enacted, requires at least one hour of the board of medical examiners' required continuing education hours to be completed on topics related to nutrition; requires the same of the board of osteopathic examination. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9.

2026-05-05 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 857

Public Defenders - As introduced, changes from 10 days to 10 business days the number of days' written notice the president of the district public defenders conference must give before calling an at-will meeting of the conference. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 14 and Title 9, Chapter 4.

2026-04-01 — Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

Victims' Rights - As enacted, requires a notification of a restorative justice option, which is a voluntary, victim-centered process that may include facilitated communication, conferencing, community repair agreements, or other structured accountability and repair practices, to be provided through a program for victims in Davidson and Shelby counties. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40.

2026-04-29 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 815

Motor Vehicles - As introduced, requires the notification submitted by the department of safety to the department of revenue of reports of the theft or recovery of motor vehicles to be in writing. - Amends TCA Title 55.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Holidays and Days of Special Observance - As enacted, designates August 8 of each year as "Clog Dancing Day in the Volunteer State." - Amends TCA Title 15, Chapter 2.

2026-04-23 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 665

Domestic Violence - As enacted, makes various changes to the present law pertaining to the persistent domestic violence offender registry. - Amends TCA Title 18; Section 38-6-103; Title 39 and Title 40.

2026-05-18 — Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

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.

2026-03-17 — Failed in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, lowers the age of an inpatient from 65 to 50 or older when a hospital, each year from October 1 through March 1, must offer immunization against influenza disease prior to discharge; requires a hospital to offer immunization against pneumococcal disease to an inpatient aged 50 or older prior to discharge. - Amends TCA Title 68.

2026-05-18 — Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

Taxes, Sales - As introduced, enacts the "Healthy Tennessee Grocery Tax Reform of 2026." - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.

2026-03-25 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

Physicians and Surgeons - As enacted, requires the board of medical examiners to issue a provisional foreign training license of two years, which may be extended for an additional one year, to an internationally trained physician who has successfully completed the examination described in current law upon finding sufficient evidence that the internationally trained physician has met certain listed criteria; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63.

2026-05-18 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 900

Health Care - As enacted, requires the department of health to make available to the public on its website all inspection criteria required for compliance by pain management clinics; makes other changes relative to pain management. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

2026-05-04 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 861

Education, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits an individual from serving as a teacher or assistant teacher in a child care program for children who are four or younger unless the individual is at least 18. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5.

2026-04-13 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 679

DUI Offenses - As enacted, clarifies present law regarding the revocation of a person's driver license for an implied consent violation. - Amends TCA Section 55-10-407.

2026-05-27 — Effective date(s) 01/01/2027

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, enacts the "Reckless Bullet Prevention Act," which creates an offense of recklessly discharging a firearm into the air, ground, a body of water, or an object in close proximity to the person if the firearm is discharged at a place where other people are or may be present; punishes the offense as a Class A misdemeanor; specifies certain exceptions to the offense; requires handgun safety courses for enhanced handgun carry permits to instruct on the offense. - Amends TCA Title 39.

2026-03-18 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, removes an obsolete reference to reimbursement requirements related to anatomic pathology services applying to anatomic pathology services billed by gastroenterologists only applying on and after July 1, 2014. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 47; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

2026-03-18 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Insurance Subcommittee of Insurance Committee

Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, deletes an obsolete requirement that the department of commerce and insurance conduct a study to determine the appropriateness of a separate premium rating for medicare supplement policies for populations under 65 years of age upon the expiration of five years from May 27, 2010. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56 and Title 71.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Commerce and Insurance, Dept. of - As introduced, deletes an obsolete requirement that the commissioner conduct a study of this state's insurance laws to determine what impediments, if any, exist that may be acting as deterrents for insurance companies in this state to underwrite policies of insurance to insure a person who has used force that is justified, including deadly force, in protecting such person's self or property, and to submit a report of the study to the general assembly no later than March 1, 2012. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

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.

2026-02-10 — Assigned to s/c Insurance Subcommittee

Professions and Occupations - As introduced, decreases from 30 to 21 days the time in which a licensed polygraph examiner or company must notify the commissioner of commerce and insurance of a change in business address. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 62 and Title 63.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Education, Higher - As introduced, prohibits the board of regents, each state university board of trustees, and the board of trustees for the University of Tennessee from conferring any new tenure status on faculty members on or after July 1, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9.

2026-02-18 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Higher Education Subcommittee of Education Committee

Sentencing - As introduced, increases from one year to three years the amount of time a defendant receiving a split sentence of confinement and probation may be required to serve a portion of the sentence in continuous confinement in the local jail or workhouse; specifies that the state is responsible for all costs of incarceration after the first year. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 41.

2026-02-05 — Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

Local Government, General - As introduced, creates the "Tennessee Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund," with monies from the fund to be expended for grants and loans to counties, municipalities, state agencies, and nongovernmental entities for improvement and restoration projects; creates the board of trustees for the trust fund. - Amends TCA Title 68 and Title 70.

2026-02-05 — Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

Divorce, Annulment and Alimony - As introduced, states that a divorce proceeding shall not be stayed or delayed due to the pregnancy of one of the parties if the court can determine or both parties can agree to stipulate as to whether the other party is the parent of the unborn child and, if applicable, the court enters an agreed parenting plan and child support order. - Amends TCA Title 36.

2026-02-05 — Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

Damages - As introduced, states that the amount of damages awarded as noneconomic damages must not exceed $1 million in a health care liability action arising from obstetric or maternity negligence resulting in the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. - Amends TCA Section 29-39-102.

2026-04-23 — Failed to pass Senate, Ayes 12, Nays 19, PNV 1

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.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Zoning - As introduced, reduces from 21 to 14 calendar days, the duration of the notice that a chief governing body must provide to the public before holding a public hearing to adopt a zoning ordinance or amendment. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 67.

2026-03-18 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

Education, Curriculum - As enacted, authorizes LEAs and public charter schools to offer students in any of the grades five through 12 a hunter education course that is approved by the wildlife resources agency as part of physical education, health, or safety instruction. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 70, Chapter 2, Part 1.

2026-03-30 — Effective date(s) 03/26/2026

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.

2026-04-08 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

Planning, Public - As introduced, specifies that the presiding officer of the local government planning advisory committee must promptly notify, or cause to be notified, the appointing authority of a member who fails to attend three consecutive committee meetings. - Amends TCA Title 4.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

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.

2026-02-05 — Assigned to s/c Business & Utilities Subcommittee

Public Utility Commission - As enacted, requires, for an electric utility providing services outside the corporate limits of the home municipality, expansion of the utility board to provide representation on the board for such outside locality. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1116

Public Utility Commission - As introduced, authorizes the commission to electronically provide to the general assembly its annual report of all matters relating to the commissioner's office for the preceding year, including practical workings of companies under its jurisdiction in this state and an abstract of the minutes of all of the commission's meetings. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Controlled Substances - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Kratom Consumer Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4; Title 43 and Title 57.

2026-03-10 — Sponsor change.

Child Custody and Support - As introduced, authorizes a court to order additional parenting time to compensate for previously denied parenting time; requires a court to order additional parenting time to compensate for time that was denied on the basis of an investigation that did not result in a finding of abuse or neglect if the affected parent can show that the other parent intentionally made or participated in false allegations of abuse against the affected parent. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 6, Part 5.

2026-02-05 — Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

Election Laws - As introduced, requires a county election commission, upon receipt of a bona fide complaint of a violation of a person's right to vote in an election, to document the details of the complaint and electronically submit the complaint to the state election commission. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 8; Title 29; Title 39 and Title 41.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Health Care - As introduced, requires TennCare to create a methodology to make medicaid facility fee reimbursement rates for birthing centers comparable to rates for similar services provided at a hospital; requires the department of health to give priority to allocating federal rural health transformation program grant funds to birthing centers in rural counties and urban counties that serve residents of rural counties. - Amends TCA Title 68 and Title 71.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Nurses, Nursing - As enacted, requires the commissioner of health to use existing resources to conduct a study of neighboring states to examine the varying levels of practice independence that may or may not be granted to certified nurse midwives in such states; requires the commissioner to compile the findings of the study and any recommendations in a report and transmit the report to the general assembly no later than December 31, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 56, Chapter 32, Part 1; Title 56, Chapter 7, Part 24; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, Chapter 5.

2026-05-04 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 728

Disability and Aging, Dept. Of - As introduced, removes the termination date of the Alzheimer's and dementia respite care pilot program; removes the requirement that the program must actively serve up to 225 enrollees at one time in each fiscal year of the program's operation. - Amends TCA Title 52, Chapter 8, Part 2.

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

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.

2026-03-11 — Taken off notice for cal in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee of Commerce Committee

Criminal Procedure - As introduced, changes from April 1 to April 30, the date by which a county legislative body must submit to the judges of the general sessions criminal court of the county and the chairs of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over criminal matters a written report setting forth findings and the overall evaluation of the use of judicial commissioners. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.

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

Utilities, Utility Districts - As enacted, authorizes, during a state of emergency that is based on a natural emergency, an emergency utility worker to travel upon public roads and enter areas subject to curfew or restricted access orders when such access is necessary to perform emergency utilities restoration activities; provides that an emergency utility worker, and the emergency utility worker's employer, are immune from civil liability for injury, death, or property damage resulting from an act or omission of the emergency utility worker committed in good faith while engaged in emergency utilities restoration activities during a state of emergency declared that is based on a natural emergency. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 29; Title 39 and Title 58.

2026-05-27 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 988

Child Abuse - As introduced, adds the speaker of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives to whom the recipients of funding from the child abuse fund and its subsidiary funds, the child advocacy centers fund, the CASA fund, and the child abuse prevention fund shall report to annually regarding their use of child abuse fund moneys, their collaborative efforts to address the spectrum of child abuse issues, and their recommendations for additional improvements in the child abuse prevention and response system in this state. - Amends TCA Title 33 and Title 39.

2026-02-05 — P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

Health Care - As enacted, increases the number of members on the medical cannabis commission from nine to 10, and provides that the additional member must be a member who is a specialist in the area of substance abuse prevention and serve as a nonvoting member. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 68, Chapter 7.

2026-05-05 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 817

Public Employees - As introduced, requires, instead of authorizes, the state and local governments to provide fully paid health insurance coverage to the immediate family members of state and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2020; removes the two-year limitation on the state or local government's full payment of such coverage; adds that family members of officers who suffer catastrophic injuries on or after January 1, 2020, also qualify for such coverage; requires the state to reimburse local governments that provide such coverage. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27.

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

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

2026-04-13 — Taken off notice for cal. in State & Local Government Committee

Local Government, General - As enacted, authorizes a local government to use any project delivery method that the local government determines most effectively meets the needs of the local government for the construction of qualified local projects, if the local government meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 12, Chapter 3, Part 12.

2026-05-04 — Comp. became Pub. Ch. 863