Tennessee Bills

SB 1775 amends Tennessee's open meetings law to require additional local governing bodies to publish meeting agendas in advance. It specifically adds public school boards (local education agencies) and other local bodies with decision-making or funding authority to the list of groups required to provide public notice. The key change is expanding the existing requirement in TCA § 8-44-110 to include these new entities, ensuring their meeting agendas are available to the public before meetings occur. This directly affects school boards and similar local bodies that make binding decisions or handle public funds.

HB 1535 designates the water and wastewater treatment facility serving Tennessee's Megasite Authority of West Tennessee as the "Michael Banks Water Treatment Facility." The bill requires the Megasite Authority to install appropriate signage naming the facility, using existing resources. This is a naming resolution with no new regulations, funding, or policy changes. It directly affects the Megasite Authority’s operations regarding facility identification. The bill is currently pending before the Naming & Designating Committee.

SB 1578 is a procedural bill that renames a water and wastewater treatment facility serving the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee as the "Michael Banks Water Treatment Facility." The bill requires the Megasite Authority to install signs or markers identifying the facility by this new name using existing funds. This is a ceremonial designation with no substantive policy changes or financial impacts beyond the naming. The bill does not affect any regulations, services, or funding for the facility itself.

SB 1561 extends the term of the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees until June 30, 2029, by amending Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 4-29-247 and 4-29-250. This bill directly affects the board members who govern Tennessee State University, removing an automatic expiration date and providing continued oversight. The key mechanism involves updating the legal code to specify the new termination date for the board's authority. The bill does not alter university operations or funding but ensures continuity in leadership. (Note: The bill is currently pending in the Senate committee process as of the provided actions.)

SB 1753 amends Tennessee law to prohibit using the terms "clinical informatics," "lifestyle medicine," or "medical virtualist" after a person’s name to mislead others into believing they are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine. The bill directly affects healthcare professionals who might use these titles without proper medical licensure. It adds these specific terms to the existing list of prohibited designations under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 63-6-204(m)(1) and related chapters. The legislation aims to prevent public confusion about who is legally authorized to provide medical care. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee after passing initial committee stages.

SB 1581 amends Tennessee law to increase the maximum weekly hours adult day services can provide (from 12 to 16 hours) and the maximum number of adults they can serve simultaneously (from 15 to 20) while still qualifying for a licensing exemption. This directly affects adult day care centers in Tennessee that currently operate under the old limits but wish to expand services without full state licensing. The bill updates two specific sections of Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 2 (sections 71-2-402(c)(2)(A)(iii) and 71-2-402(c)(2)(D)), raising these numerical thresholds. The policy change allows more centers to maintain exemption status while increasing service capacity.

HB 1495 amends Tennessee law to increase the thresholds for adult day services to qualify for licensing exemptions. Specifically, it raises the weekly service hours from 12 to 16 and the maximum number of adults served simultaneously from 15 to 20. This change directly affects adult day care providers seeking to operate without full state licensing. The bill modifies two specific sections of Tennessee Code Annotated (71-2-402(c)(2)(A)(iii) and 71-2-402(c)(2)(D)) to implement these adjustments. The bill is currently in committee review after being introduced on January 9, 2026.

SB 400 changes the deadline by which local education agencies (LEAs) operating public charter schools must publish specific building information on their websites. Instead of posting details like building location, square footage, enrollment capacity, and usage by May 1, LEAs will now have until May 15 each year. This bill directly affects public school districts and charter schools in Tennessee that fall under these reporting requirements. The change only adjusts the annual deadline; it does not alter the required information or add new reporting obligations.

HB 640 changes a Tennessee law requiring local education agencies (LEAs) that operate public charter schools to publish specific building information on their websites. The bill shifts the annual deadline for this reporting from May 1 to May 15 each year. This affects LEAs by extending the timeframe for disclosing details like building locations, square footage, enrollment capacity, and usage. The change only modifies the publication date - no new requirements or policy shifts are introduced.

HB 849 defines key legal terms in Tennessee law to clarify statutory interpretation. It specifically states that "person," "life," and "natural person" do not include artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, software, hardware, or machines. The bill defines "human being" as a living Homo sapiens (including the unborn), "life" as a biological condition excluding technology, and "natural person" as a human being. This is a definitional amendment to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, aimed at excluding technology from these legal categories without creating new policies or directly affecting specific groups. The bill is currently in committee review.

HB 1273 creates a new felony charge for recklessly threatening mass violence against child care centers, preschools, or religious institutions, and a misdemeanor for failing to report such threats. The law requires immediate reporting of threats to both local law enforcement and the affected institution, with specific details needed in the report. Violators face penalties including up to 6 years in prison for the felony threat and up to 6 months for failing to report. The bill defines "property" to include buildings and grounds of these institutions and mandates restitution for disruption caused by threats.

SB 591 creates two new offenses in Tennessee law: a Class E felony for recklessly threatening mass violence against child care agencies, preschools, or religious institutions via any communication method, and a Class B misdemeanor for failing to report such threats. The bill requires anyone who knows of such a threat to immediately report it to local law enforcement and the affected institution, including specific details like the threat's nature and the person making it. It also allows courts to order threat-related defendants to undergo evaluations for potential harm and mandates restitution for disruptions caused by threats. The law directly affects individuals making or ignoring threats to vulnerable institutions, with penalties taking effect July 1, 2025.