Tennessee Bills

HB 295 would add doula services to Tennessee's TennCare Medicaid program, allowing certified doulas to provide covered support for pregnant individuals. The bill requires the Tennessee Department of Health to create a verification process for doulas who complete approved training programs covering pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. This includes verifying knowledge of anatomy, emotional support strategies, comfort techniques, and community resources. The policy change would directly affect TennCare beneficiaries seeking doula support and certified doulas aiming to provide covered services. The bill does not change eligibility but expands covered services under TennCare.

SB 1470 limits legal liability for nonprofit organizations providing community-based child welfare services in Tennessee when they contract with the state's Department of Children's Services. To qualify for this protection, nonprofits must meet specific requirements, including conducting background checks on staff/volunteers, verifying they aren't on abuse registries, reporting misconduct, and providing mandatory training on child abuse prevention and reporting every five years. If a nonprofit fails to meet these requirements and that failure contributes to harm, they could still be held liable, but the bill does not cover cases of gross negligence. This applies only to nonprofits serving children in foster care or similar community-based programs under state contracts.

HB 1782 amends Tennessee's vehicle registration fee law to apply a $100 annual fee exclusively to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), removing regular hybrid electric vehicles from this requirement. This change affects PHEV owners who will pay the additional fee starting January 1, 2027, while owners of standard hybrids will not. The bill revises TCA Section 55-4-116 by deleting "hybrid electric vehicles" from the fee eligibility list and specifying the $100 fee applies only to PHEVs during 2027. The policy directly modifies registration costs for a specific vehicle type without altering other fee structures.

HB 1052 requires Tennessee's Comptroller of the Treasury (specifically its Office of Research and Education Accountability) to annually report detailed data about students using the state's education freedom scholarship program. The report must include the total number of scholarship recipients, how many have used the program for two or more years, how many previously attended public schools, and how many were first-time eligible users. This data must be submitted to the Tennessee General Assembly by October 30 each year, starting in 2025. The bill does not change the scholarship program's rules but mandates regular transparency reporting for legislative oversight.

SB 2651 clarifies the rules for counties and municipal solid waste regions that fail to follow Tennessee's Solid Waste Management Act. It defines four specific ways a local entity can be noncompliant (like missing plan deadlines or failing to implement approved plans) and outlines a clear, step-by-step penalty system. If noncompliance continues for 30 days after a warning, the entity loses access to state solid waste management funds; after 60 days, it faces daily civil penalties up to $5,000. This bill directly affects local governments managing waste, ensuring they must meet state standards to receive funding or avoid financial penalties.

HB 2189 requires court clerks to submit written notifications to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) about the final outcome of criminal cases involving violent felonies for which DNA samples were collected. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 40-35-321 to explicitly mandate that this notification be provided "in writing," replacing previous unspecified notification methods. This change directly affects court clerks who handle these cases and the TBI, which uses the information for its DNA database and law enforcement purposes. The bill standardizes reporting procedures without altering the legal substance of criminal cases or DNA collection requirements.

HB 2362 would prevent Tennessee local governments from blocking the transfer of permits for entertainment transportation businesses (such as party buses or tour vehicles), imposing stricter noise limits on these vehicles than for other tourism-related businesses, requiring traffic studies for permits, or mandating that vehicles be enclosed if safety standards are met. It also specifies that permits may only be revoked for good cause, such as repeated violations or if a permit has been unused for six months. The bill directly affects businesses operating entertainment transportation and the local governments that regulate them. This legislation sets clear, specific restrictions on local government actions to reduce arbitrary permit denials or unnecessary requirements.

HB 2500 revises Tennessee's public records fee system to improve accessibility and clarify costs. It allows citizens to request records via phone, email, or online portals instead of requiring written requests, and shifts the cost of redacting confidential information to the requester. Government offices must now use a standardized fee schedule for copying and inspection, based on guidelines from the Open Records Counsel. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting both the public seeking records and government offices handling requests.

SB 1857 would allow Tennessee public school districts and charter schools to integrate approved hunter education courses into physical education, health, or safety classes for students in grades 5 through 12. The courses must be certified by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to meet state hunter safety standards. This amendment to Tennessee law (amending Titles 49 and 70) directly affects schools and students in grades 5-12 by expanding curriculum options with a focus on outdoor safety. The bill takes effect upon becoming law.

SB 1846 expands how funds from the Ocoee River recreation and economic development fund can be used, allowing the board to support tourism promotion, infrastructure upgrades, and community events benefiting the Ocoee River management zone. It replaces the park manager position on the board with the director of the division of state parks, effective July 1, 2026. The bill also limits commercial permits for river operations to 24 total, reducing to 12 after 2026, and restricts permit transfers to immediate family or business buyers. These changes directly affect commercial operators, tourism entities, and the Ocoee River management zone stakeholders. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 1990 requires the Tennessee Department of Health to study health concerns and barriers to better care for people with female biological sex. The department must submit a report to the state legislature by January 1, 2027, detailing findings on obstacles in health care access for this group. This bill does not change current health laws but mandates a study to identify potential gaps in care for people assigned female at birth.

HB 2165 removes a criminal penalty for local government officials in Tennessee who vote to adopt "prohibited sanctuary policies." Specifically, it deletes language classifying such a vote as a Class E felony under Tennessee law (TCA § 7-68-103(b)) and removes references to subsequent conviction in related statutes (TCA § 7-68-104(e)). This bill directly affects local elected officials, such as mayors or city council members, who previously faced potential felony charges for supporting certain sanctuary policies. The change modifies existing state code to eliminate this specific criminal penalty, focusing solely on the legal text rather than creating new policy.