Tennessee Bills

SB 2530 allows deceased Tennessee legislators or former legislators to lie in state at the state capitol building under specific conditions. If an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, or child) requests it, the governor and legislative speakers must permit this for up to one full day during public hours. The governor and speakers may also authorize this without a family request if no immediate family exists. The bill amends Tennessee law to establish this process for honoring former lawmakers. (Procedural bill; summary focuses solely on the policy change.)

HB 2253 prohibits juveniles adjudicated delinquent for conduct that would be "threatening to commit an act of mass violence" if committed by an adult from purchasing or possessing firearms until age 25. It also requires federally licensed firearm sellers to verify buyers are not prohibited under court orders or state law. The bill increases penalties for sexual exploitation of minors by raising felony classifications: possession of 50+ images becomes a Class B felony (100+ is Class A), and distribution of 25+ images becomes a Class A felony. These changes amend Tennessee’s criminal code in Titles 37 and 39, effective July 2026.

HB 2540 updates Tennessee state employment rules for government workers. It directly affects all state employees by adding a new provision prohibiting harassment during hiring (Section 7) and overhauling the appeal process for disputes like discipline or termination (Section 12). Key changes include requiring written appeals within 14 days, establishing a two-step review process with specific timelines, and clarifying that executive service employees cannot file certain appeals. The bill removes outdated sections about employment classifications and procedures while introducing concrete new rules for fair hiring and grievance handling.

HB 2349 requires Tennessee's Department of Children's Services to create a public website by July 1, 2027, providing parents and caregivers with clear information about licensed child care agencies. The site must include license status, violation history (including serious injuries or deaths), inspection results, and corrective actions, while excluding private home addresses and individual child/foster parent details. It also mandates plain-language summaries of monitoring reports and key processes like licensing, inspections, and complaint handling. The bill directly affects families seeking child care, child care agencies, and the public by increasing transparency around facility safety and compliance.

SB 2647 requires Tennessee's Department of Children's Services to create a public website by July 1, 2027, providing parents and caregivers with searchable information about licensed child care agencies. The site must display license status, inspection results, violations (including dates and injury details), adverse actions, and corrective measures, while excluding private family home addresses and personal identifiers. It also mandates plain-language summaries of inspection reports and details on licensing processes, background checks, and complaint systems. This bill directly affects parents seeking child care, licensed child care agencies, and the Department of Children's Services, which must maintain the registry.

HB 1827 requires county or city legislative bodies to approve the location of new quarries or digital asset mining facilities at a public meeting. It mandates 21 days' notice published in local newspapers, posted online, and mailed to residents within 500 yards of the proposed site. The bill defines "digital asset mining facilities" as energy-intensive blockchain operations using over 1 megawatt annually and "quarries" as mineral extraction sites (excluding coal mining). This law applies to all new facilities constructed on or after July 1, 2026.

SB 2053 requires county or city legislative bodies to publicly approve the location of new quarries or digital asset mining facilities (like large-scale cryptocurrency operations using over 1 megawatt of energy) before construction begins. It mandates a 21-day public notice period, including newspaper publication, website posting, and mailings to residents within 500 yards of the proposed site. The bill directly affects local governments (counties/cities), developers seeking to build such facilities, and nearby residents who receive advance notice. It applies to all new projects approved on or after July 1, 2026, and does not change existing facility operations.

HB 1532 allows Tennessee's governor and legislative leaders to permit a deceased current or former state legislator to "lie in state" at the state capitol building for up to one full day during public hours. This applies when requested by the legislator's immediate family (spouse, parent, sibling, or child) or, if no family is available, at the officials' own discretion. The bill modifies state code to establish this procedure without changing substantive policy. As a ceremonial measure, it affects only the families of deceased legislators and the state capitol's scheduling protocols.

HB 1949 requires that nonprofit organizations receiving opioid abatement funds from Tennessee's opioid abatement fund must be paid through a 50% advance payment (for recurring costs like staff wages) and 50% reimbursement grant structure. This applies to nonprofits working on statewide, regional, or local opioid prevention and treatment programs. The bill amends Tennessee law to mandate this payment method, ensuring nonprofits have upfront cash for essential operations while requiring documentation for reimbursement. It directly affects organizations administering opioid-related services funded by the state.

HJR 808 proposes amending Tennessee's constitution to explicitly require U.S. citizenship for voting in all state, county, and municipal elections. The bill would replace existing voting eligibility language with a provision stating only U.S. citizens meeting age, residency, and registration requirements may vote. It specifically prohibits non-citizens from voting in any election, including local offices, ballot measures, or referendums. This change would apply statewide to all elections covered under Tennessee's current voting rules. The resolution is currently under review by the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee.

SB 1630 requires all Tennessee municipalities to hold local elections on the same day as either the August primary or November general election, aligning them with state election cycles. It makes municipal elections partisan (candidates run under party labels), standardizes voting schedules for new city incorporation referendums, and mandates that new cities hold their first election at the next regular state election. The bill also limits term extensions for current officials to two years when changing election dates and specifies primary election timing for municipal races. This directly affects every city and town in Tennessee that holds local elections.

SB 1873 modifies Tennessee state employee employment rules, primarily affecting all state workers and hiring processes. It adds a new provision prohibiting applicants from using hiring applications to harass or intimidate staff (Section 7), and overhauls appeal procedures by removing executive service employees' right to appeal disciplinary actions (Section 12). The bill also deletes outdated sections about hiring classifications and existing appeal steps, replacing them with new rules for filing appeals within 14 days and limiting retroactive remedies to 30 days. These changes directly impact how state employees can challenge workplace decisions and how agencies conduct hiring.