Tennessee Bills

HB 2172 changes the deadline for Tennessee's Alcoholic Beverage Commission to submit its biennial report on preventing underage drinking, drunk driving, and other alcohol-related harms. The bill shortens the submission date from February 15 to February 1 in each odd-numbered year. This amendment affects the commission's reporting schedule and requires the legislature to receive the report earlier. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57 and Title 67, to update this requirement.

SB 2237 requires local governments in Tennessee (municipalities, counties, or metropolitan counties) to review development applications, plans, or site inspections within 30 business days - either approving them or providing a consolidated written list of deficiencies. If deficiencies aren’t resolved after two written reports, the application must be denied with justification, and 50% of fees paid by the developer must be refunded. The bill also mandates that changes to contracts between local governments and developers/contractors must be in writing, and requires releasing financial bonds within 30 days of an independent inspector confirming project completion. These provisions directly affect developers, contractors, and local government agencies handling development projects.

HB 2496 updates Tennessee's tourism tax rules to include large mixed-use developments with performance venues (2,500+ seats) as eligible projects. It allows cities or public authorities in tourism development zones to use existing sales tax revenue - previously allocated for qualifying facilities - for these new types of projects, provided they meet a $300 million investment threshold. The bill specifically expands the definition of "qualified public use facility" in tourism financing law to cover such venues and their surrounding commercial/residential spaces. This directly affects municipalities managing tourism zones that have already secured sales tax allocations under existing law.

SB 2654 deletes an outdated requirement that previously forced certain state agencies with motor vehicle fleets larger than 10 vehicles to create plans reducing petroleum use by January 1, 2015. The bill removes Section 4-22-101 from Tennessee Code Annotated Title 4, which contained this obsolete mandate. This change affects the legal code but has no current operational impact, as the requirement's deadline (2015) has long passed. The bill amends Titles 3, 4, 8, and 9 of the Tennessee Code to eliminate the expired provision.

This bill allows private parties or events to serve alcohol without a license but prohibits serving to anyone under 21. It requires event organizers to submit proof they took reasonable steps to verify attendees' ages (e.g., ID checks). The law directly affects private event hosts, venues, and organizers who serve alcohol at gatherings. It amends Tennessee’s alcohol regulations to add this age verification requirement for private events.

SB 2461 creates a new certification requirement for individuals practicing assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Tennessee, directly affecting fertility clinics and ART practitioners. It mandates the Department of Health to establish a certification process for these professionals, requiring them to obtain a certificate to legally provide ART services. Key provisions include prohibiting genetic testing of embryos except for chromosomal abnormalities or fatal fetal anomalies, requiring use of standardized consent forms with specific patient disclosures, and mandating certified technologists to comply within 60 days of the rules taking effect. The bill also establishes definitions for ART and certified technologists across multiple health licensing chapters.

SB 2613 requires convention center authorities in Tennessee to submit an annual financial audit to the municipality that authorized their organization by January 1 each year. This bill directly affects convention center authorities and the local governments that granted them permission to operate. The key provision amends Tennessee law to mandate this annual audit filing, replacing the previous requirement with a specific January 1 deadline. The change applies to all convention center authorities operating under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 7, Chapter 89. The bill focuses on transparency by requiring municipalities to receive these audits annually.

SB 2229 amends Tennessee's Prevailing Wage Act to require that workers on non-state construction contracts for public highway projects funded by federal or state highway funds receive the prevailing wage rate. This expands the existing requirement (which previously applied only to state contracts) to cover non-state contracts for projects on public highways using public funds. The bill also updates the process for determining prevailing wages by adding "the commissioner's designee" to the development procedure. These changes apply to contracts entered into, amended, or renewed on or after the effective date.

HB 2509 establishes Tennessee's Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program, administered by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. It authorizes the agency to provide loans for constructing or rehabilitating workforce housing affordable to households earning no more than 150% of area median income, prioritizing projects that set aside at least 80% of units for workforce housing. The program requires applicants to form public-private partnerships and contribute at least 10% of project costs through grants or land donations, with funding targeted to all three grand divisions and projects near employment centers. Projects must demonstrate regulatory incentives (like streamlined permits) or innovative features (e.g., mixed-use design) to qualify for loans.

SB 2317 deletes outdated language in Tennessee's education code about the format of standardized tests (TCAP) administered during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, specifically removing Section 49-6-6013, which contained obsolete requirements for assessment formats. This is a technical correction to update the state's education code, not a new policy. It directly affects how the state's assessment program is documented in law but does not change testing procedures or requirements. The bill is procedural and focuses solely on removing redundant language from the code.

SB 2265 creates a registry within Tennessee’s Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for individuals convicted of specific retail theft crimes, including offenses under Tennessee Code §39-14-113 (organized retail theft) and related charges. The registry includes basic identifying information like name, date of birth, offense details, and conviction date, and is accessible only to law enforcement. Convicted individuals remain on the registry for 10 years after their most recent conviction, or until expungement or death is verified. The bill also increases minimum sentences for certain thefts involving firearms or devices that disable store security systems.

SB 2410 establishes Tennessee's Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program, administered by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The program provides loans for constructing or rehabilitating housing affordable to families earning no more than 150% of the area median income (adjusted for household size), prioritizing projects setting aside at least 80% of units for workforce housing and 50% specifically for essential services personnel (like teachers, first responders, and healthcare workers). It requires applicants to form public-private partnerships, meet minimum funding contribution thresholds (10% of costs or $2 million), and demonstrates innovative design or regulatory incentives. The agency must fund at least one project in each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions (East, Middle, West) by March 2027, with interest forgiveness available for projects meeting affordability and set-aside targets.