Tennessee Bills

SB 489, the "Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act," would establish a regulated medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions in Tennessee. It creates a Tennessee Medical Cannabis Program Commission to license and oversee cultivation, processing, and dispensing operations, requiring physician certifications for patients and setting up a tracking system from cultivation to sale. The bill defines medical cannabis (excluding hemp) and specifies qualifying conditions, while prohibiting smoking/vaping products and cannabis-infused foods like edibles until future rulemaking. It would directly affect Tennessee patients seeking medical cannabis, healthcare providers issuing certifications, and businesses applying for licenses to operate dispensaries or cultivation facilities. The bill remains pending after failing committee review in February 2025.

HB 682, the "Student Comfort through Alternative Restorative Environments (CARE) Act," requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to offer students voluntary remote learning for at least 31 consecutive days after a mass violence incident (defined as injury/death to two or more people) at their school. Students, with parental consent or their own agreement if 18+, can choose remote learning instead of returning to in-person classes during this period. Schools must not penalize students for this choice and must provide access to the same counseling and mental health resources available to other students. This applies to all schools starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

SB 524 would have increased the base annual salary for Tennessee General Assembly members to $48,999 starting with the 115th General Assembly, raised annual office expenses to $2,000, and boosted per diem reimbursement by 25%. It also established a mechanism to adjust future salaries based on average state employee pay increases, effective after the 2026 election. The bill was introduced in 2025 but withdrawn on February 20, 2025, before becoming law. It directly affected all state legislators serving in the General Assembly.

SB 1118, which was withdrawn on February 20, 2025, would have amended Tennessee law to lower the minimum age for free tuition at state colleges and universities from 65 to 62 years. It also expanded the list of institutions where disabled individuals and certain age groups cannot audit or enroll without fees to include law schools and veterinary schools. The bill applied to the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond, amending Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Section 49-7-113. As withdrawn, it did not become law.

SB 1117, which was withdrawn on February 20, 2025, would have required Tennessee court clerks to compile and submit monthly reports of all criminal fines and fees assessed by their courts. The reports would have included specific details like case numbers, amounts, payment status, and defendant demographics. The Administrative Office of the Courts would have been mandated to create a public database and searchable website compiling these reports, plus provide annual summaries to state leaders. This bill aimed to increase transparency around criminal justice financial obligations but did not advance beyond committee referral.

HB 895 removes a requirement that new or expanded landfill sites must be located at least two miles away from designated Class II scenic rivers in Tennessee. This bill directly affects landfill developers and communities near these protected waterways by eliminating a buffer zone designed to limit development close to sensitive river environments. The bill achieves this by deleting specific provisions in Tennessee Code (Sections 68-211-118, 68-212-120, and 68-212-223) that previously enforced the two-mile restriction. The change would allow landfills to be built closer to scenic rivers without needing to comply with this distance rule. The bill is currently in committee referral and has not yet been voted on.

SB 1093 would extend the termination date for Tennessee's doula services advisory committee from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027. This procedural bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Section 63-15-104(f), to update the committee's expiration date without changing any substantive health care policies. The committee, which advises on doula services and maternal health, would continue its work for an additional year under this extension. The change affects only the committee's operational timeline and does not alter funding, regulations, or public health programs.

HB 43 proposes to amend Tennessee law by designating "Tennessee" by Arrested Development as an official state song, adding it to the list of state symbols under Tennessee Code §4-1-302. This procedural bill would formally recognize the song as a state symbol, directly affecting Tennessee's official cultural representation. The bill failed in the State & Local Government Committee on February 19, 2025, and has not become law. As a naming/designation bill, it does not create new policy but seeks to adopt a specific song as an official state emblem.

HB 396 would change Tennessee's housing law by shortening the required deed restriction period for affordable multi-family housing built under voluntary incentive programs. Instead of requiring affordability "in perpetuity," the bill would limit these restrictions to at least 30 years. This directly affects developers and property owners participating in the state's attainable housing incentive program. The bill failed in committee on February 19, 2025, and did not advance further. (Amends TCA Title 13, Chapter 3, Section 13-3-603(f).)

HB 214 allows Tennessee school districts and public charter schools to hire retired law enforcement officers (from federal, state, or local agencies) and honorably discharged U.S. military veterans as school resource officers (SROs). The bill requires school boards and charter school governing bodies to adopt written policies outlining SRO duties, authority, and privacy compliance, including adherence to FERPA and other privacy laws. It also mandates that SROs complete 40 hours of approved school policing training and specifies conditions for carrying firearms on school grounds.

SB 4 (Senate Bill 4) requires the Tennessee Supreme Court to allocate annual funds for a security detail to transport and accompany the Chief Justice during all official state business. This bill directly affects the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court by mandating security coverage for their official travel and duties. The key provision amends Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 16-3-103 and 17 (via Title 16 and Title 17) to include this security expense in the court's annual budget. The bill was introduced in November 2024, passed initial Senate readings in January 2025, but was withdrawn on February 13, 2025, and did not become law.

SB 398 prohibits state regulatory and health-related boards from excluding individuals or discriminating based on race, color, ethnicity, or national origin. It bans boards from using race-based policies like affirmative action, racial preferences, or quotas in membership decisions and forbids using aggregated racial data for such purposes. The bill creates a private legal remedy allowing individuals to sue boards or their staff for violations, with a minimum $4,000 statutory damages award plus potential compensatory and punitive damages. This applies to all state boards covered under Titles 62 and 63 of Tennessee Code.