Tennessee Bills

HB 2177 modifies Tennessee's public charter school regulations. It exempts schools with less than $50,000 in combined internal school and student activity funds from conducting separate financial audits, while requiring local school districts to submit annual financial reports by October 1 to avoid per-pupil funding cuts for charter schools. The bill also updates enrollment lottery preferences to prioritize students from pre-K programs, economically disadvantaged families, and siblings of current students, and changes requirements for charter school replication applications. These provisions directly affect public charter schools and local education agencies in Tennessee.

HB 2136 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to submit an annual report by January 1, 2027, listing all FDA-approved medications for women's health, including a brief summary of each. The report must be sent to the Senate and House speakers, providing legislators with a centralized overview of new women's health treatments. This bill does not change medication approval processes or affect patients directly; it only establishes a reporting requirement for the state health department. The legislation amends specific Tennessee Code sections to implement this information-gathering process.

HB 2093 prevents managed care organizations (MCOs) from unilaterally ending contracts with qualified nursing facilities in Tennessee's TennCare program, except under specific circumstances. The bill gives the TennCare bureau exclusive authority to decide if a nursing facility can be terminated from the program, not the MCOs. MCOs must report concerns about facilities to the bureau instead of acting alone, and must continue services during the bureau's review. This changes how MCOs manage nursing facility contracts, ensuring only the bureau can approve terminations.

SB 2291 removes the requirement for alarm contractors to hold a license when selling, installing, or monitoring still cameras and televisions used in security systems. This change specifically affects contractors who previously needed a license for these devices under Tennessee's Alarm Contractors Licensing Act (TCA Title 62, Chapter 32). The bill amends the licensing statute to exclude "still cameras and televisions" from the list of items requiring a license, while maintaining licensing requirements for traditional alarm systems. This simplifies regulatory requirements for contractors working with basic security camera and TV installations.

HB 1913, the "Regulatory Freedom Act of 2026," requires Tennessee state agencies to create and publish "fiscal impact statements" for new or amended rules expected to negatively affect businesses or industries. These statements must estimate actual compliance costs (excluding speculative or anti-competitive costs), include feedback from affected businesses and trade associations, and be submitted before final rule adoption. Agencies must also file annual reports detailing all fiscal impact statements for rules enacted in the prior year, with the legislature reviewing rules exceeding a $750,000 five-year fiscal impact threshold. The bill directly affects state agencies creating regulations, businesses subject to those regulations, and the legislative government operations committee. It aims to increase transparency around regulatory costs while mandating specific steps for agencies to gather industry input before finalizing rules.

SB 2027 allows Tennessee counties or municipalities to request a state highway traffic noise study for nearby homes when trees (a "tree zone") are removed behind those homes for reasons unrelated to highway construction, and no existing noise barrier or natural shielding is present. It directly affects residents living adjacent to state or interstate highways who experience increased noise after tree removal. The bill requires a local government resolution to trigger the study, which assesses noise impact without mandating a solution. This policy change provides a formal process for communities to evaluate noise concerns after tree-clearing events.

HB 1979, the "Promising Futures Act," redirects revenue from taxes on vapor and hemp-derived cannabinoid products into a dedicated fund to support child care assistance programs. It directly affects working families needing affordable child care and child care workers, who will receive free child care through a pilot program (categorical eligibility based on job, not income). The fund finances three priority programs: child care workforce scholarships, employer-supported "CareShare Tennessee" initiatives, and expanded access for families ineligible for existing subsidies. Funds must be used solely for these purposes, with up to 10% allowed for administrative costs, and unspent balances carry forward annually. The bill creates new provisions in Tennessee law to establish this funding mechanism and program structure.

SB 2062, the "Promising Futures Act," creates a dedicated fund using revenues from taxes on vapor and hemp-derived cannabinoid products to support child care assistance programs. The fund finances three specific initiatives: a scholarship program providing free child care for children of licensed child care workers (with $5 million allocated over three years), an employer-supported program called CareShare Tennessee (also $5 million over three years), and a supplemental program if funds remain. These programs aim to strengthen the child care workforce, expand access for working families ineligible for current subsidies, and support employer partnerships. The bill explicitly prohibits using fund money for tax collection or enforcement, ensuring dedicated use for child care assistance.

HB 2009 allows counties or municipalities to request a highway traffic noise study for residential properties along state or interstate highways when tree zones (dense natural barriers) behind homes are removed, cut, or cleared for non-highway purposes, and no existing noise barrier or shielding is present. It applies specifically to properties where the removal of trees eliminates a natural noise barrier, potentially increasing noise exposure. The bill requires the Tennessee Department of Transportation to conduct the study upon a local government's formal request. It does not mandate the construction of noise barriers but provides a process for assessing noise impacts after tree removal.

SB 1937 amends Tennessee laws related to child abuse and child sexual abuse by adding the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services to the Second Look Commission. It updates how abuse cases are reviewed (replacing "second or subsequent incident" with "case being reviewed") and expands the commission’s access to state agency records needed for its work. The bill also updates definitions to include "strangulation" in abuse and neglect contexts and modifies child protective team responsibilities. These changes directly affect children in abuse cases, child protective teams, and the Second Look Commission’s operations. The bill takes effect in 2026, with most provisions delayed until July 1.

SB 1985 creates the "Tennessee Real Estate Consumer Fraud Protection Act" to establish new rules for real estate transactions. It requires title insurance premiums to be split equally between buyers and sellers, mandates foreign title insurers to maintain a local office for outstanding claims, and requires all real estate deeds to be prepared by licensed Tennessee attorneys with their license number - deeds not prepared this way after July 1, 2026, will be void. The bill also requires out-of-state property buyers to designate a Tennessee agent for legal service. These changes directly affect homebuyers, sellers, title insurers, and real estate attorneys in Tennessee.

SB 1921 requires Tennessee’s Department of Human Resources to annually transfer up to 30% of its TANF rainy-day fund to the child care and development fund (CCDF). This transfer must cover eligible families enrolled in the Smart Steps child care program who cannot access care due to insufficient CCDF funding. The bill also mandates the department to publicly report annual balances and expenditures for both the TANF and CCDF programs. It prohibits using these funds to replace existing child care funding and requires adherence to federal limits on transfers.