Tennessee Bills

HB 1718 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to study the cost of providing body cameras to correctional officers and prison contractor employees working at Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility. The study must cover facilities meeting specific criteria: located on public property housing inmates under contractor care, in a county with a 2020 census population between 11,600 and 11,616. The department must submit findings to legislative committee chairs by July 1, 2026, detailing the financial impact of this equipment. This bill does not mandate body cameras but mandates a cost analysis for a specific facility.

HB 1816, "The Isbill Act," requires Tennessee law enforcement officers and correctional staff to undergo annual training on the criteria for involuntary hospitalization for mental health treatment. Specifically, it mandates the POST Commission and Tennessee Corrections Institute to create and adopt guidelines explaining when emergency and non-emergency involuntary admissions to inpatient care are appropriate. These guidelines will directly affect all law enforcement officers and correctional personnel in the state. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 33, 38, and 41 to implement these training requirements, effective July 1, 2027.

SB 1960 requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to designate one instructional day each school year for K-12 students to learn about the U.S. founding. It mandates age-appropriate lessons on the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, American independence, and core freedoms, with specific grade-level objectives (e.g., identifying symbols for K-5, analyzing founding documents for grades 9-12). Schools must ensure the instruction is nonpartisan, aligned with state academic standards, and focused solely on historical facts and civic principles. The law applies starting the 2026-2027 school year and affects all local education agencies and public charter schools in Tennessee.

SB 2030 requires sexual offenders and violent sexual offenders to notify campground owners or operators in advance if they plan to stay overnight at a campground. This applies directly to individuals subject to Tennessee's sex offender registration requirements. The bill makes it a Class E felony to stay overnight without providing this notice, punishable under existing legal penalties. The law amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2, and takes effect July 1, 2026.

SB 1804 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to notify the police chief of an inmate's city of residence (if the city has a police chief) and the county's chief law enforcement officer whenever an inmate is granted a furlough. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 40 and Title 41, to add this notification requirement without changing furlough eligibility or conditions. The law directly affects the Department of Correction (which must send notifications) and local law enforcement agencies (which receive them). The change applies to all furloughs and aims to improve communication between state corrections and local police.

HB 1510 designates specific segments of the Buffalo River, Duck River, and four creeks (Beaverdam, Lick, Piney, and Swan) as Class II pastoral river areas under Tennessee law. This directly affects communities and landowners near these waterways, particularly in Hickman, Williamson, and Dickson counties, by establishing new protections for their natural landscapes. The bill expands existing protections by including the entire Buffalo River (previously excluding some counties), the entire Duck River except the Normandy Reservoir segment, and adding the four new creek segments to the designated areas. It also broadens public outreach requirements to apply to "any river" instead of just the Duck River, requiring more community engagement for scenic river management. These changes aim to preserve the natural character of these waterways through formal legal designation.

SB 2106 expands protections for students by adding "former students" to the definition of individuals with whom educators cannot engage in sexually related behavior, covering those who graduated or withdrew from school within the past year. It requires educators to report violations to the state board of education, which could lead to license discipline. The bill also removes the option to discipline educators for breaking employment contracts without a valid reason. These changes directly affect teachers, principals, and school staff in Tennessee whose conduct could violate these provisions. The bill is pending legislative approval and would take effect July 1, 2026.

SB 1822 requires Tennessee Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to permit high school students enrolled in private schools with fewer than 200 students - located within the LEA’s boundaries - to participate in interscholastic athletics at their zoned public high school. This applies only if the student resides within the LEA, meets the athletic organization’s eligibility rules, and the public school is part of a governing athletic association. The bill does not guarantee team selection or override existing eligibility rules set by athletic associations. It takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year, directly affecting small private school students in Tennessee LEAs.

SB 1787 prevents homeowners' and condominium associations in Tennessee from banning unit owners from installing personal electric vehicle charging stations on their own property, including designated parking spots. Associations may still set reasonable rules about the charger's size, placement, and installation method but cannot block installations where the owner's parking is located. Owners must cover any liability costs from the charger (including legal fees) and maintain insurance naming the association as a beneficiary. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to all new or amended association rules after that date.

SB 1884 amends Tennessee's Drycleaner's Environmental Response Act to clarify definitions and update the drycleaner environmental response fund program. It defines "recently abandoned" facilities (closed within 180 days) and expands "registered facility" to include abandoned sites, ensuring these qualify for fund access. The bill requires annual registration for all drycleaning facilities and wholesale distributors (including recently abandoned sites) to maintain eligibility for fund support covering cleanup costs. Key provisions include standardizing fund use for remediation, establishing site prioritization based on health/environmental risk, and requiring ongoing registration even after operations cease.

SB 1889 requires non-English speaking applicants for driver's licenses to receive a one-year restricted license valid only for travel to school, work, or medical appointments. To obtain a full license afterward, they must retake the written exam in English without aids. The bill also mandates that vehicle registration applicants provide proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, or authorized temporary status, with a Tennessee driver's license serving as acceptable proof. These changes apply to all new license applicants and vehicle registrations starting July 1, 2026.

HB 1743 amends Tennessee election law to allow county election commissions to notify petitioners of defects in recall, referendum, or initiative petitions. This change directly affects individuals or groups who file these petitions by giving them the opportunity to correct errors - such as missing signatures or incomplete information - before their petition is rejected. The bill adds a specific provision to the code requiring commissions to inform filers of defects, rather than automatically discarding incomplete petitions. The amendment does not mandate corrections or extend deadlines but provides a procedural option for petitioners to fix issues.