Tennessee Bills

HB 1070, introduced as the "Tennessee Health SNAP Act," proposes requiring the Tennessee Department of Human Resources to seek a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits from being used to buy candy and soft drinks. The bill would mandate that any waiver request include public health justification, a plan for retailer system updates, recipient education on healthy alternatives, and tracking mechanisms for spending and health outcomes. If approved, the restriction would apply to SNAP users in Tennessee, excluding milk-based drinks and beverages with over 50% juice. The bill was filed on February 5, 2025, but withdrawn the next day and never advanced.

HB 709 requires local school boards in Tennessee to notify the state education department when they designate their district as "high performing." The department must then maintain a public list of these districts on its website. This bill directly affects local school boards and the state education department by creating a new reporting requirement and transparency mechanism. The key provision is the mandatory notification and online listing, which aims to provide clear public information about high-performing districts. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Section 49-2-703.

HB 815 requires Tennessee's Department of Safety to report by January 1, 2026, to the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee and the relevant House committee on how driver license application and renewal fees cover specific costs (processing, reinstatements, IT upgrades, and system maintenance). The bill does not change fee amounts or create new requirements for drivers; it only mandates a transparency report on existing fee usage. This procedural bill directly affects the Department of Safety (as the reporting entity) and the legislative committees (as recipients of the report). The bill was introduced in February 2025 but was withdrawn the same day and reassigned to a committee.

HB 844 deletes an outdated requirement in Tennessee law that previously mandated the comptroller's office to study and report on community schools to education committees by November 1, 2018. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, by removing Section 49-6-2406, which had become obsolete after its deadline passed. This change eliminates a procedural obligation with no current enforcement or impact on education policy. The bill does not alter existing education programs or create new requirements.

HB 837 would extend the validity period for temporary vehicle license plates in Tennessee from 60 to 90 days. This change directly affects vehicle owners who need temporary plates while waiting for permanent registration, such as during vehicle purchases or relocation. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-4-226(c)(4) to update the time limit, effective July 1, 2025, for all temporary plates issued on or after that date. The policy change simplifies temporary plate use without altering other registration requirements.

HB 877 extends Tennessee's temporary school turnaround program for priority schools (identified as needing intervention) to a permanent program administered by the Department of Education. It increases the maximum number of schools that can participate at any time from five to fifteen, requiring annual selection of up to five schools while ensuring geographic diversity across the state's grand divisions. Participating schools must develop and implement a turnaround plan for up to four years, with annual evaluations against state and federal (ESSA) performance standards. The Department of Education must annually report on the program's effectiveness, comparing outcomes of participating schools with non-participating schools and recommending successful strategies for replication.

This bill allows government agencies in Tennessee to charge a fee when a public records request takes more than one hour of an employee's time to fulfill. The fee would only apply after the first hour of work and would be calculated based on the hourly wage of the staff member handling the request. This change modifies existing state law that currently prohibits agencies from charging fees to view public records unless specifically required by other laws. The bill directly affects government records custodians and the public who request records from state agencies.

HJR 65 is a Tennessee House Joint Resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass the SCREEN Act, which would require age verification for online pornography to protect minors. It also calls on Tennessee to enforce its Protect Tennessee Minors Act and the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize enforcing federal obscenity laws. This non-binding resolution, introduced in January 2025 and withdrawn in February 2025, does not create new laws but expresses legislative support for measures to restrict minors' access to online pornography. It references statistics about minors' exposure to online porn and the lack of enforcement of existing federal obscenity laws.

HB 1007 would have deleted an outdated requirement in Tennessee law that mandated the comptroller and TennCare drug review committees to study prescription drug use, costs, and quality of care in nursing homes, with a 2005 reporting deadline. The bill aimed to remove this obsolete provision from Tennessee Code (amending Titles 4, 33, and 71) since the study was no longer relevant. The bill was introduced in early 2025 but withdrawn the same month without becoming law. This was a procedural change, not a policy shift, as it only eliminated a defunct administrative task.

HB 710 would change the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's annual deadline for publishing the postsecondary education fact book from May 1 to June 1. This procedural adjustment directly affects the Commission's reporting schedule, requiring them to release the fact book one month later each year. The bill does not alter educational programs, funding, or student eligibility, only shifting a publication timeline. The change would take effect July 1, 2025, if enacted.

HB 419 would require Tennessee public schools and charter schools to prohibit students from using personal electronic devices (like phones, tablets, or smartphones) during the school day, except for school-provided devices, authorized use under school policy, or for students with disabilities using assistive technology under an IEP or 504 plan. School boards and charter school governing bodies must create and adopt a written policy by July 31, 2025, which may ban devices in specific areas (e.g., libraries) and must include a process for contacting parents during emergencies. The policy must ensure parents can be notified without relying on student device access. This bill would apply starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

HB 80 prohibits third-party ticket resellers (like online marketplaces) from selling or offering to sell "speculative tickets" - defined as tickets a reseller doesn’t physically possess, own, or have under contract to receive at the time of sale. The bill directly affects ticket resellers and consumers who purchase tickets through these platforms. Key provisions require Tennessee’s Division of Consumer Affairs to enforce the ban (imposing $5,000 penalties per violation) and allow consumers to sue resellers for damages, attorney fees, and court costs if they violate the law. The bill applies to all online resellers and takes effect July 1, 2025.