Tennessee Bills

HB 1625 extends the expiration date for the Tennessee Department of Education to June 30, 2030, by amending state law to remove an outdated reference and clarify the department's legal foundation. This procedural bill ensures the department continues operating without requiring new legislation until the extended date, directly affecting the Department of Education's ongoing administrative structure.

HB 1694, the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act," allows emergency medical personnel (like EMTs) to provide emergency care and transport to injured police, military, or search-and-rescue dogs (called "canine first responders") during their duties. The bill requires EMTs to complete specific training and operate under the oversight of a licensed veterinarian designated as an "emergency veterinary medicine service director," and permits transport only when no human patient requires immediate care. It also provides legal immunity to EMTs acting in good faith to provide such care or transport, protecting them from civil or criminal liability. This law directly affects injured working dogs and emergency medical personnel who serve law enforcement, military, or search-and-rescue teams.

HB 1631 enacts the "Tennessee Agricultural Fair and Livestock Show Act" to provide state funding for agricultural fairs and livestock shows across Tennessee. The bill creates two key programs: one funding cash awards (premiums) for specific categories like livestock, farm products, youth projects (including 4-H and FFA), and educational exhibits, and another awarding additional funds to top-performing fairs based on criteria such as exhibit quality, cleanliness, community participation, and programming. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture will administer these programs, disbursing state aid annually to eligible events. This bill directly affects not-for-profit agricultural fairs and livestock shows that meet the defined standards for participation.

HB 1747 requires Tennessee public high schools to provide students enrolled in U.S. government and civics courses with three structured field trips - one to observe each branch of government (legislative, judicial, executive). Each trip must align with state standards and include specific experiences, such as visiting a city council (legislative), courthouse (judicial), or mayor’s office (executive). Schools are not required to reschedule trips for absent students or allow attendance for students facing disciplinary action. The law takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

HB 1872 would create a new civil lawsuit option for individuals (or their parents/guardians for minors) who consented to certain medical procedures due to coercion by a healthcare professional. Specifically, it targets procedures related to gender identity (like puberty blockers or hormones) when consent was obtained through coercion, not voluntary choice. The bill sets a strict 18-year deadline to file such lawsuits, starting from the procedure date or when the injury was discovered. This bill does not change existing medical standards but adds a legal remedy for alleged coercion in specific gender-related healthcare contexts. (Note: The bill is pending in committee and not yet law.)

SB 1887 requires Tennessee's Department of Tourist Development to annually confirm which nonprofit or tax-exempt public agencies serve as regional tourism organizations for each of the state's nine development districts. It mandates that these organizations must get department approval for their marketing plans before receiving state matching funds (with a $2 state dollar for every $1 from the organization, minimum $35,000). The bill also establishes clear definitions for tourism terms like "destination marketing organization" and "tourism event" to guide implementation. This directly affects regional tourism groups seeking state funding and the Department of Tourist Development, which gains oversight authority over fund distribution and marketing strategies.

SB 1819 requires Tennessee public high schools to provide students enrolled in U.S. government and civics courses with three mandatory civic engagement field days - one observing each branch of government (legislative, judicial, and executive). Specifically, students must visit a city council/county commission (legislative), a courthouse to observe proceedings (judicial), and a mayor/governor’s office (executive). Schools are not required to reschedule for absences or allow students excluded for disciplinary reasons (per school policies) to attend. The law applies starting the 2026-2027 school year.

SB 2077 amends Tennessee law to allow all non-legislative members of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) review committee - such as agency directors - to appoint a designee (someone they delegate to represent them) instead of restricting this authority solely to the director of the office of legislative budget analysis. The bill changes the composition rules for the TISA committee, which oversees education funding, by expanding who can appoint a substitute member. This procedural update affects committee members who currently cannot appoint designees, streamlining committee participation. The change takes effect upon the bill becoming law.

HB 1735 amends Tennessee law to allow any non-legislative member of the TISA review committee (such as the education commissioner or finance commissioner) to appoint a designee to serve on the committee, rather than restricting this authority solely to the director of the office of legislative budget analysis. The bill changes Section 49-3-113 of the Tennessee Code to expand appointment rights to all non-legislative committee members. This adjustment provides greater flexibility for committee members to delegate responsibilities without requiring the director’s approval. The bill does not alter the committee’s composition, purpose, or other duties related to the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement program.

SB 1567 is a proposed bill that establishes rules for Tennessee's participation in a national Article V convention to propose U.S. constitutional amendments. It sets strict qualifications for commissioners (e.g., U.S. citizenship, no recent lobbying/federal roles) and requires a two-thirds joint legislative vote to appoint them, with equal representation across Tennessee's grand divisions. The bill restricts commissioners from supporting changes to voting rules, altering individual liberty guarantees in the Constitution, or promoting non-germane amendments. It also mandates that participation costs only occur after legislative approval through specific joint resolutions. This bill, currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee, would govern Tennessee's delegate conduct if the state ever joins an Article V convention.

HB 1499 establishes rules for Tennessee's participation in an Article V convention to propose U.S. constitutional amendments. It sets qualifications for Tennessee's delegates (e.g., U.S. citizenship for 5+ years, no recent lobbying/federal roles) and requires a two-thirds legislative vote to approve participation. The bill mandates that delegates must not support changing state voting rules at the convention, must back recorded roll call votes, and cannot back amendments altering core constitutional liberties. It also requires legislative approval for funding before any convention-related costs are incurred. This procedural bill directly affects Tennessee's delegation to any future Article V convention.

HB 1797 expands Tennessee's open meeting requirements to include school boards and similar local bodies. Specifically, it adds the governing body of a local education agency (like school boards) and any other local public body with decision-making or funding authority to the list of entities required to publish meeting agendas publicly in advance. This change applies to bodies that can make binding decisions or control public funds, ensuring greater transparency for community members. The bill amends existing law (TCA § 8-44-110) to formalize this expanded access, making no other substantive policy changes.