HJR 863 is a Tennessee resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 2350/S. 1137, which would allow states to use cell-phone jamming systems in prisons. The resolution highlights that federal law currently bans such jamming, leaving prisons vulnerable to smuggled phones used for drug trafficking, violence, and escape coordination - evidenced by 25,840 contraband phones found in state facilities in one year. The resolution emphasizes that the proposed federal law would permit jamming only with safeguards to avoid disrupting emergency 911 calls, and it cites bipartisan support from state attorneys general. This is a procedural resolution seeking federal legislative action, not a policy change itself.
SB 2621 caps noneconomic damages at $1 million in medical malpractice lawsuits involving obstetric or maternity negligence that causes the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. It directly affects patients, families, and healthcare providers in Tennessee by limiting compensation for non-monetary harms like pain and suffering in these specific cases. The bill amends Tennessee law to override existing damage award rules for health care liability actions under Title 29, Chapter 26. This change applies only to cases meeting the defined criteria of negligence resulting in death or permanent injury during pregnancy or postpartum care. The legislation does not affect economic damages (such as medical bills) or other types of medical malpractice claims.
SB 2251 would make it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly install, operate, or permit a virtual currency kiosk (a machine that exchanges digital money like Bitcoin for cash) in Tennessee. It directly affects businesses running these kiosks and property owners who allow them on their premises. The bill defines a "virtual currency kiosk" as an electronic terminal facilitating such exchanges and specifies that violations carry misdemeanor penalties. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, applying to actions occurring on or after that date.
SB 2330 requires Tennessee state agencies to provide the General Assembly's fiscal review committee staff with direct electronic access to their data systems and records, including financial, program, and performance information. It applies to all executive branch agencies (like the departments of education, treasury, and wildlife resources) and mandates timely access within 15 business days, with exceptions for legally protected information. The bill includes strict confidentiality safeguards, requiring committee staff to maintain data security, use information only for official duties, and share only de-identified or aggregated data in public reports. This ensures lawmakers have real-time access to government data for budget oversight while respecting legal restrictions on sensitive information.
SB 2465 prohibits juveniles adjudicated delinquent for threatening mass violence (as defined in existing Tennessee law) from purchasing or possessing firearms until age 25. It also requires federally licensed firearm dealers to verify a buyer’s eligibility under state law or court orders before selling. The bill significantly increases penalties for sexual exploitation of minors by raising felony classifications based on the quantity of materials involved (e.g., 50+ images become a Class B felony, 100+ become Class A). These changes amend Tennessee Code Sections 37-1-190, 39-17-1307, 39-17-1316, 39-17-1351, 39-17-1352, and sections related to sexual exploitation offenses (39-17-1003 to 39-17-1005). The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 2548 allows physician assistants (PAs) to delegate medication administration to certified medical assistants (CMAs) under specific conditions. It expands the list of medications CMAs can administer - including vaccines, topical treatments, oral medications, and certain injectables like transdermal anesthetics - while requiring clinics to verify CMA competency for these tasks. The bill mandates that PAs must collaborate with a physician, follow approved protocols, and cannot delegate tasks requiring clinical judgment (e.g., adjusting patient care plans). This directly affects PAs, CMAs, and ambulatory clinics in Tennessee, updating their scope of practice under state law.
HB 2585 would cap noneconomic damages at $1 million in medical malpractice lawsuits involving obstetric or maternity negligence that causes a pregnant or postpartum woman's death or permanent injury. It directly affects patients (or their families) who might file such lawsuits and healthcare providers facing these claims. The bill amends Tennessee law to limit compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress (noneconomic damages) to $1 million in these specific cases, while leaving economic damages (like medical bills) unaffected. This is a concrete policy change to restrict damage awards in a defined subset of medical liability cases.
HB 2356 amends Tennessee law to allow local school districts (LEAs) to authorize school security personnel - such as school safety officers or campus security staff - to review exterior bus camera footage when investigating illegal passes of stopped school buses. Currently, only law enforcement officers (POST-certified or state-commissioned) could review such evidence; this bill expands that authority to include trained school security staff. The change requires LEAs to maintain separate agreements with law enforcement for police review, but school security review can occur concurrently without restricting police involvement. This directly affects school districts and their security personnel by streamlining evidence review for bus safety violations.
HB 2505 prohibits the operation of virtual currency kiosks in Tennessee by making it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly install, permit, or operate such devices. It directly affects kiosk operators, property owners who allow installations, and anyone managing these terminals. The bill defines "virtual currency kiosk" as an electronic terminal facilitating crypto exchanges (like converting digital currency to cash) and specifies penalties for violations. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to all such activities after that date.
HB 2566 designates August 8 of each year as "Clog Dancing Day in the Volunteer State" to recognize the cultural, educational, and artistic contributions of clog dancing to Tennessee. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 15, Chapter 2, to formally establish this observance, honoring the tradition's roots in Appalachian communities and its connection to Tennessee's heritage. It does not create new legal requirements or affect specific groups, but serves as a symbolic recognition of clog dancing's role in the state's cultural identity.
SB 2462 updates Tennessee's reporting requirements for district attorneys general. It mandates that district attorneys include specific, non-personally identifying data in their annual reports - such as the number of indictments, case transfers, and case dispositions (including dismissals, pleas, and sentences). The bill also requires court clerks to provide district attorneys and the District Attorneys General Conference direct, unlimited access to court case management systems to collect this data. This affects district attorneys, court clerks, and the statewide conference, streamlining data collection without dictating specific reporting systems.
HB 2466 revises Tennessee's annual reporting requirements for district attorneys general (DAs). It requires DAs to include specific aggregate data - such as indictments filed, cases transferred for pro tem prosecution, and dispositions like dismissals or plea agreements - in their annual reports to state officials and the public. The bill also mandates that court clerks with jurisdiction over misdemeanor and felony cases provide DAs and the DA conference direct, unlimited access to their case management systems to collect this data. This change aims to streamline data collection for reporting while ensuring courts cooperate with DAs' statutory obligations.
