Tennessee Bills

SB 1568 designates August 8 of each year as "Clog Dancing Day in the Volunteer State" to recognize clog dancing's cultural heritage in Tennessee. The bill does not create new policies or affect specific groups - it simply establishes an annual observance to honor the tradition's historical significance, community role, and connection to Tennessee's Appalachian roots and cultural identity. It is a ceremonial designation with no substantive legislative impact.

HB 1971 restricts lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of state laws by removing the right to seek declaratory or injunctive relief against state governmental actions. It specifically prohibits individuals from suing the state to invalidate statutes, while allowing such challenges against local governments (like cities, counties, or school districts). The bill maintains state sovereign immunity by ensuring no waiver of the state’s legal protection from lawsuits. It does not affect claims seeking monetary damages or challenges to local government actions.

SB 1687 modifies Tennessee's comptroller reporting requirements by removing two existing mandates: reports on broadband services in historically unserved areas and the Tennessee Helping Heroes Scholarship Program. It revises the property tax relief program reporting to require the comptroller to annually estimate program costs and submit this to the legislature during budget planning instead of previous detailed reports. The bill directly affects the comptroller's office, which must adjust its annual reporting process under these changes. This is a procedural adjustment to streamline reporting, not a substantive policy change to programs or services.

SB 1958 removes the right for individuals to seek court orders (declaratory or injunctive relief) challenging the constitutionality or legality of state government actions, including state statutes. It directly affects people or groups trying to legally challenge state laws or actions in court. The bill preserves Tennessee’s sovereign immunity (meaning the state cannot be sued) and creates a limited exception only for challenges against *local* governments (like cities or counties), but still prohibits lawsuits seeking damages or challenging state laws. It amends specific Tennessee Code sections to clarify these restrictions.

SB 1877 extends the reporting deadline for Tennessee's Department of Transportation (TDOT) regarding blocked highway-rail grade crossings. It changes the required annual report period from 2022-2026 to 2022-2027 and delays the submission deadline from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2028. This procedural bill directly affects TDOT's obligation to submit federal railroad administration data to legislative committees. The change provides one additional year for TDOT to compile and submit the required report.

HB 1506 authorizes the executive director or an attorney employed by Tennessee's Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance to conduct training programs for bureau members and the Tennessee Ethics Commission. The bill amends two sections of Tennessee law (TCA Title 2, Chapter 10, Part 2 and Title 3, Chapter 6, Part 1) to explicitly allow these training sessions. This is a procedural bill focused on internal agency capacity, not on changing campaign finance rules or affecting voters, candidates, or campaigns. It does not alter campaign contribution limits, disclosure requirements, or other substantive regulations.

SB 1808 urges Tennessee's Department of Transportation (in consultation with the Department of Revenue) to study whether requiring registration of personal boat trailers would affect transportation infrastructure. If conducted, the study must be completed and reported to specific legislative committees by January 1, 2027. The bill does not create new registration requirements but requests an analysis of potential impacts on infrastructure needs. It directly affects state agencies conducting the study, not boat owners or the public. This is a procedural study bill with no immediate policy changes.

SB 1730 adds three specific Tennessee governmental entities to the state's sunset review process: the Advisory Committee on Open Government, the Board of Professional Bondsmen, and the Conservatorship Management Task Force. These entities, created by prior laws, will now have automatic expiration dates unless the legislature formally reauthorizes them. The bill amends Tennessee Code to include these groups in existing sunset provisions, requiring periodic legislative review to determine if they should continue operating. This change directly affects how these three entities are managed, ensuring their continued existence depends on active legislative approval.

HB 1799 modifies Tennessee's comptroller reporting requirements. It deletes two existing reports: one about broadband services in underserved areas and another about the Tennessee Helping Heroes Scholarship Program. The bill also revises the property tax relief program reporting by requiring the comptroller to annually estimate program costs during budget preparation and submit this to the legislature. These changes affect the state comptroller's office and the General Assembly, streamlining certain reporting obligations.

HB 2044 expands the scope of practice for certified medical assistants (CMAs) in Tennessee by allowing physician assistants (PAs) to delegate medication administration tasks to them. The bill specifically adds 15 medication categories to what CMAs can administer, including vaccines, oral/sublingual medications, topical treatments, inhalers, and certain anesthetic agents (like transdermal patches), while prohibiting delegation of tasks requiring clinical judgment. It requires ambulatory clinics to train and verify CMAs' competency for medication administration, updates certification requirements to include additional certifying bodies, and clarifies that PAs must work under protocols with collaborating physicians. The changes directly affect CMAs, PAs, and outpatient clinics, aiming to clarify delegation authority under existing medical practice laws.

SB 1691 amends Tennessee law to allow the executive director of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance or an attorney employed by that bureau to conduct training for bureau members and the Tennessee Ethics Commission. The bill updates two sections of state code (TCA 2-10-214 and 3-6-116) to include these staff members as authorized trainers. This is a procedural change affecting only the internal operations of the ethics oversight body, with no direct impact on voters, candidates, or campaign finance rules.

SB 1790 requires insurers covering inmates in Tennessee to treat FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications equally with opioids in their preferred drug lists (PDLs), meaning non-opioid options cannot be disadvantaged in coverage or cost-sharing. It directly affects insurers offering policies that cover incarcerated individuals, including TennCare and private health plans. The law mandates that non-opioid medications (approved by the FDA for pain management) must have equal coverage treatment relative to opioids on the PDL, without prohibiting insurers from favoring one opioid over another. The bill applies to all such medications approved by the FDA for nine months or longer and takes effect January 1, 2027.