Tennessee Bills

HB 868 would ban political committees based outside Tennessee from contributing to influence primary elections for a statewide political party in the state. The bill prohibits out-of-state committees from giving money or other contributions to candidates, other committees, or for any purpose intended to affect primary elections. It defines a primary election as one for the statewide political party (the party controlling both legislative chambers on July 1, 2025), and the law would take effect on that date. This measure targets out-of-state campaign financing without specifying a particular political party.

HB 822 allocates $20 million (nonrecurring) to the Tennessee Department of Education for school safety grants targeting public school districts (LEAs) and public charter schools, and $4 million for nonpublic schools. These funds specifically support purchasing walk-through detectors or scanners for school security, with flexibility to cover other school safety measures (like prevention programs) if detectors are already installed. The bill directs the grants for fiscal years 2024-2025, with legislative intent to continue funding for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. It directly affects all eligible public and nonpublic schools in Tennessee seeking to enhance security infrastructure.

This Senate Resolution (SR 4) honors the Tennessee Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for hosting its annual "Delta Days at the Capitol" event, scheduled for February 17-18, 2025. The resolution commends the sorority’s work in organizing workshops and advocacy discussions focused on social issues like healthcare, education, and policy improvement, which began in 2010. It specifically recognizes the event’s role in uniting members statewide to develop strategies for community betterment. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding policy effect and solely expresses legislative appreciation.

SB 382, a proposed Tennessee bill, prohibits local governments (including cities, counties, and metropolitan areas) from creating or enforcing programs that provide regular cash payments to individuals without requiring work, job training, or reemployment. The bill defines "guaranteed income programs" as those issuing unconditional cash payments for any purpose, explicitly excluding programs with work requirements. If enacted, it would block local efforts to implement such programs through ordinances, resolutions, or policies. The bill was introduced and passed on first consideration in early 2025 but was later withdrawn on February 10, 2025.

SB 385 would require Tennessee's Department of Human Services to monthly check food assistance card data for recipients who made out-of-state purchases for 90 consecutive days or more. It would mandate sending these recipients a 30-day notice to prove Tennessee residency, removing them from the program if they fail to provide proof or respond. The bill also prohibits granting homelessness exceptions to work requirements without verified proof, such as notarized shelter stay documentation or housing authority confirmation. This bill was introduced on January 28, 2025, but was withdrawn on February 10, 2025, and is not currently law.

SB 675 would allow Tennessee state legislators to request the Attorney General to investigate whether a local government's ordinance, regulation, or policy violates state law or the Tennessee Constitution. The process requires a legislator to first notify the local government of the alleged violation and give it 60 days to fix it before requesting an investigation. If the Attorney General confirms a violation, the local government has 30 days to resolve it; failure to do so would trigger withholding of local sales and use tax revenues until the issue is fixed. This bill directly affects counties, cities, and other local governments by creating a state oversight mechanism for their policies.

SB 546 requires individuals seeking to become online notaries in Tennessee to complete a training course covering notarial laws, online technology procedures, and ethics, and pass an exam. It also mandates that applicants certify they understand and will comply with state rules and Secretary of State requirements. The bill specifies that online notary training courses must be approved by the Secretary of State. These changes apply directly to people applying for online notary commissions, effective January 1, 2026.

SB 543 amends Tennessee law to allow litigation financiers who are not business entities or partnerships to withdraw their registration with the Secretary of State. To withdraw, these financiers must file a form prescribed by the Secretary of State and pay a $20 fee. The bill updates Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 16, specifically changing the registration process for this category of financiers. This change directly affects individual or non-entity litigation financiers who previously lacked a clear withdrawal mechanism under existing rules.

SB 545 creates a process for Tennessee residents to challenge if their name or address was included on a business document filed with the Secretary of State without their consent. Individuals can file a complaint with required details, prompting the Secretary to notify involved businesses and review the claim within 30 business days. If the complainant provides strong proof, the Secretary can cancel the unauthorized filing, though no refund is issued for the original filing fee. This directly affects residents whose personal information appeared on business records without permission and businesses that filed such records.

SB 1057 deletes an outdated requirement from Tennessee law that previously mandated the comptroller to study prescription drug use and costs in nursing homes (with a 2005 reporting deadline to lawmakers). This bill removes Section 71-5-195 of Tennessee Code, which had become obsolete after its 2005 deadline passed. It does not create new policy or affect current drug programs, as it only eliminates a defunct administrative task. The bill was filed in 2025 but withdrawn before further action.

HB 428 requires TennCare to cover continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for enrolled individuals with specific diabetes conditions. It directly affects TennCare members diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or Type 2 diabetes with documented complications like frequent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), high A1C levels (≥7%), or hospitalizations related to diabetes. The bill mandates coverage only when a specialist (endocrinologist or diabetes-experienced provider) confirms eligibility based on medical criteria. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.

HB 685 changes the annual expiration date for pesticide product registrations from June 30 to July 15 under Tennessee law. This technical amendment affects pesticide manufacturers and distributors who must renew their registrations with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The bill specifically updates TCA Title 43, Chapter 8, Section 104(a) to reflect the new July 15 deadline, providing a one-month extension for registration renewals. It does not alter pesticide regulations or create new requirements, only adjusting the administrative deadline. The change applies to all pesticide products covered by the referenced code sections.