Tennessee Bills

SB 846 requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to submit its annual report on narcotics investigations to the House criminal justice committee and Senate judiciary committee by February 15 each year, instead of the previous annual deadline. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections to update the submission timeline and committee references. This change affects the TBI’s narcotics division and the legislative committees overseeing criminal justice oversight. The bill focuses solely on adjusting the reporting schedule, with no new policy requirements or funding impacts.

HB 1268 requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to submit its annual report on narcotics investigations to specific legislative committees by February 15 each year, instead of the previous unspecified annual deadline. The bill amends Tennessee law (specifically Titles 8, 10, 16, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 55) to update the submission date and clarify which committees receive the report (the House committee with jurisdiction over criminal justice and the Senate Judiciary Committee). This change directly affects the TBI's narcotics division and the legislative committees responsible for oversight. The bill modifies reporting procedures without altering the content or scope of the investigations themselves.

HB 1372 removes the killing of another committed during certain crimes (like robbery or burglary) from the definition of first-degree murder in Tennessee law. It also deletes two specific criminal responsibility provisions that allowed prosecutors to charge individuals for facilitating felonies or being an accomplice. These changes would directly affect prosecutors, defendants, and courts by altering how violent crimes are classified and prosecuted. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee’s criminal code (including Titles 39 and 40) to simplify these legal definitions.

HB 754 requires gender clinics receiving state funding and insurance providers covering gender transition procedures to also offer and cover detransition services (medical or mental health care to reverse or manage effects of transition). It applies specifically to state-funded clinics and insurers, mandating they report detailed statistics on gender transition procedures to the Tennessee Department of Health. The reporting includes patient demographics, procedure types, medications, and diagnoses - while excluding personally identifiable health information. Data must be submitted monthly and compiled into an annual public report starting in 2025. The bill does not restrict access to gender transition care but adds transparency and service parity requirements.

SB 676 requires gender clinics receiving state funding to offer both gender transition and detransition procedures, and mandates that insurers covering transition procedures must also cover detransition. It applies to all gender clinics licensed in Tennessee and insurance providers offering such coverage. The bill also mandates clinics to report detailed statistics on gender transition procedures (including patient age, procedure type, and diagnoses) to the Department of Health monthly, with annual public reports starting in 2025. These requirements aim to increase transparency around gender healthcare services while imposing specific obligations on covered providers.

HB 1205 prohibits Tennessee physicians and podiatrists from prescribing, dispensing, or treating themselves or their immediate family (defined as spouse, parent, child, or sibling) except in emergencies or when no other doctor is available within 30 miles of their practice. The bill specifically bans prescribing controlled substances (scheduled drugs) to family members under any circumstances. It requires doctors to maintain records of any exceptions and applies to all licensed medical practitioners in Tennessee. This law directly affects doctors' ability to provide care to their own households, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest in medical treatment.

SB 1153 prohibits physicians and podiatrists in Tennessee from prescribing, administering, or treating themselves or their immediate family (spouse, parents, children, siblings) with medication or medical care, except in minor, self-limited, short-term, or emergency situations. It also strictly bans prescribing or administering controlled substances (scheduled drugs) to themselves or family members under any circumstances. An exception allows treatment of family within a physician’s regular scope of practice if no other doctor is available within 30 miles of their primary practice location. The bill applies to all licensed physicians and podiatrists in Tennessee and requires them to maintain records of any permitted treatments.

HB 1271 is a policy declaration bill that would state Tennessee's position that "there are only two sexes, a biological male and a biological female," as part of state law. It amends multiple Tennessee Code sections (Titles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) to include this statement as official state policy. The bill does not create new regulations or directly affect specific individuals or groups; it only establishes this policy position in existing legal codes. The measure is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee for further review. This is a procedural declaration, not a law altering rights or services.

SB 936 declares Tennessee's policy that "there are only two sexes, a biological male and a biological female," inserting this statement into multiple sections of state law (Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 1, 3-8). The bill does not create new regulations or funding but establishes this policy position within state government codes. It directly affects how state agencies and laws reference biological sex, though it does not change existing services or requirements for individuals. The bill is a policy declaration, not a substantive law altering public programs or individual rights.

SB 1170 removes the killing of another committed during certain crimes (like robbery or burglary) from the definition of first-degree murder in Tennessee law. It deletes legal provisions that allowed prosecutors to charge individuals as "criminally responsible" for others' actions, including facilitating felonies or acting as an accomplice under specific sections. The bill amends multiple parts of Tennessee’s criminal code (including Titles 39 and 40) to eliminate these references and provisions. This change directly affects how prosecutors handle cases involving killings during crimes and reduces potential charges for indirect involvement in felonies. The bill focuses on clarifying legal definitions rather than creating new penalties.

HB 920 amends Tennessee law to extend the deadline for counties to submit annual reports on judicial commissioners in criminal courts. Specifically, it changes the required submission date from April 1 to April 15 each year. This procedural change directly affects all Tennessee county legislative bodies that must prepare and submit these reports to criminal court judges and relevant legislative committees. The bill makes no substantive policy changes, only adjusting the reporting timeline.

HB 1447 proposes creating the Tennessee Retirement Savings Plan Act, establishing a state-run retirement savings program for Tennessee residents employed within the state. The bill creates a 7-member Tennessee Retirement Savings Board - including the state treasurer, employer and employee representatives, a retired public member, and nonvoting legislative advisors - to develop and manage the plan. Key provisions require the board to design a defined contribution retirement plan, set investment rules, collect administrative fees, and provide outreach to residents. The bill is currently pending introduction (filed October 6, 2025) and has not yet been enacted.