Tennessee Bills

HB 1808 would have allowed Tennessee's District Attorneys General Conference to cover software licensing fees for district attorney offices within each judicial district. It directly affected local prosecutors' offices by providing a funding mechanism for essential software tools they use daily. The bill proposed amending specific Tennessee Code sections to authorize this conference-funded support, avoiding direct state budget allocations. However, the bill was withdrawn on February 2, 2026, and did not become law.

HB 1726, the "Stable Homes for Foster Youth Act," prohibits housing Tennessee foster children in vehicles, offices, or hotels (except emergency situations under 24 hours) and mandates placements in kinship care, licensed foster families, or small group homes (max 10 children). It limits placement changes to two per year without supervisor approval and requires real-time location tracking to ensure child safety. The bill also mandates annual reports tracking placement types, prohibited housing instances, and the effectiveness of safety measures. These provisions directly affect foster children in Tennessee and the Department of Children's Services, aiming to reduce instability through concrete policy changes.

HB 1877 prohibits all Tennessee state, county, municipal, and metropolitan government entities from requiring individuals to receive microchips or permanent identification markers as a condition for accessing benefits, services, or assistance programs. It defines "microchip" as a subcutaneous device transmitting personal data via radio frequency and clarifies that voluntary implantation for health-related monitoring or treatment remains permitted. The bill amends multiple Tennessee code sections (Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 40, 47, 50, and 56) to implement this ban across all government service contexts. This policy directly affects individuals seeking public assistance who might otherwise face forced identification requirements.

HB 1988 proposed to amend Tennessee law to allow Clarksville and Montgomery County to join the state's local land bank program by establishing specific population thresholds. The bill would have required Clarksville's population to fall between 166,700 and 166,800, and Montgomery County's between 220,000 and 220,100, based on the 2020 or later census. This change would have directly enabled these two jurisdictions to participate in the land bank program, which helps manage vacant or abandoned properties. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn the same year.

HB 2033, as introduced, would require Tennessee courts to mandate community service hours for most convicted individuals starting July 1, 2026. Felony convicts (excluding those sentenced to death, life without parole, or 100% prison time) would need to complete 80 hours, while misdemeanor convicts (excluding traffic offenses or fines-only cases) would need 40 hours. The service must be performed through approved organizations or programs, documented in writing, and verified by the court before probation or parole release. This bill would directly affect people convicted of non-exempt criminal offenses in Tennessee, adding a mandatory community service component to sentencing.

HB 928 prohibits the sale or offering for sale of any food product containing a live vaccine in Tennessee. The bill defines "live vaccine" as a weakened virus or bacteria intended for human use to stimulate immunity against disease. This law would directly affect food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers within the state who might produce or sell such products. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53 to add this new prohibition to the state's food safety regulations.

HB 1445 creates a state-funded grant program to help local law enforcement agencies recruit officers. It establishes a "law enforcement officer recruitment fund" within the state general fund, targeting cities, counties, or municipalities with 10% or more vacant officer positions. The Department of Finance and Administration will manage the fund, setting application rules, grant criteria, and reporting requirements for agencies seeking funds to cover recruitment costs only. Unspent funds will carry forward annually, but the program requires future legislative appropriations to activate, with the bill taking effect July 1, 2026.

SB 1583, a withdrawn bill (withdrawn January 23, 2026), required Tennessee's medical cannabis commission to include in reports submitted on or after January 1, 2027, an analysis of how Executive Order No. 14370 and future federal actions impact medical marijuana and cannabidiol research. The bill amended multiple Tennessee Code sections related to controlled substances to implement this reporting requirement. It directly affected the medical cannabis commission, mandating they assess federal policy impacts on research expansion. The bill did not become law, as it was withdrawn before final passage.

SB 2125, the "Tennessee Live Music Support Act," was introduced but withdrawn on January 23, 2026. If enacted, it would have imposed a 5% surcharge on secondary ticket sales (resales by third parties) for live music and performance events in Tennessee, collected monthly by resellers from their sales revenue. The funds would have been deposited into a dedicated grant fund to support live music venues, promoters, and performers through economic development programs. The bill would have directly affected third-party ticket resellers (like StubHub or Ticketmaster resale platforms) and applied to events starting July 1, 2027.

HB 1700 requires Tennessee public school districts to report students who were formally truant in a public school but are now enrolled in a home school to juvenile court. It also mandates that unexcused absences from a student’s previous school district follow them to their new school if they transfer mid-year, affecting how schools track absences for truancy purposes. The bill directly impacts students, parents, school officials, and juvenile courts by changing reporting rules and attendance record-keeping. It amends Tennessee education codes to implement these requirements, effective July 1, 2026.

HB 1728 makes it illegal for vape shop retailers, distributors, wholesalers, or importers to sell Kratom or nitrous oxide in Tennessee. The bill directly affects businesses operating vape shops or selling vape-related products, prohibiting them from offering these specific items for retail sale. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $500 per product for first offenses, increasing to $1,500 per product for third violations within a year, with potential license suspension or revocation. Manufacturers causing Kratom or nitrous oxide to be sold face $10,000 penalties per product. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 1524 would have allowed trained school employees to search containers, packages, or other non-clothing enclosures that trigger a school's weapons detection system. It required staff to complete specific training and be designated by the principal before conducting such searches. The bill explicitly prohibited searching clothing worn by students or visitors. This proposed law was withdrawn before becoming effective and never took effect.