Tennessee Bills

HB 461 would require individuals seeking to become online notary publics in Tennessee to complete a state-approved course covering notarial laws, online technology procedures, and ethics, then pass an exam. It also mandates that applicants certify they understand and will comply with all relevant rules. This bill directly affects people applying to work as online notaries by adding these new qualification steps to Tennessee’s existing notary laws. The changes would take effect January 1, 2026, if enacted.

HB 472 prohibits state regulatory and health-related boards from excluding individuals from membership based on race, color, ethnicity, or national origin. It bans boards from using race-based policies (like quotas or preferences) to determine membership composition and prohibits considering race in appointments. The bill creates a private right to sue boards, officers, or employees for violations, allowing recovery of actual damages, punitive damages for intentional discrimination, and a minimum $4,000 statutory penalty. This applies directly to state boards under Titles 62 and 63 of Tennessee Code, affecting both board members and applicants seeking appointment.

HB 619 requires Tennessee school districts (Local Education Agencies or LEAs) to provide parents or guardians with a student’s education records and a draft Individualized Education Program (IEP) at least 48 hours before an IEP meeting, unless the parent declines in writing. It directly affects parents of students with IEPs by ensuring they receive these documents in advance to prepare for meetings. Key provisions include a 10-day notice for meeting attendance and a 48-hour requirement for sharing requested records or draft IEPs, aligning with federal FERPA privacy standards. The bill was introduced in 2025 but withdrawn on February 5, 2025, and remains pending.

HB 776 would have extended the review period for banking license applications in Tennessee from 10 to 15 business days when documents are incomplete. This change applied specifically to the commissioner of financial institutions reviewing applications for certificates of authority for new banking entities. The bill aimed to provide more time for regulators to identify and notify applicants of missing requirements. However, the bill was filed on February 4, 2025, and withdrawn the next day (February 5, 2025), so it never became law.

HB 613 requires Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation to submit an annual report starting July 1, 2025, detailing water permit applications and their compensatory mitigation methods. The report must include the total number of permit applications filed and specific information about how environmental restoration (compensatory mitigation) is handled in permits requiring it. For permits using in-lieu fee programs or mitigation banking, the report must specify the sponsor, number of credits sold, and funds received for each project. This bill directly affects the Department of Environment and Conservation (which must file the reports) and entities obtaining water permits (which must provide the required mitigation details). The law amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 69, Section 69-3-108(g).

HJR 93 is a resolution requesting the governor, Tennessee Department of Education, and relevant legislative committees to study ways to reduce administrative burdens on local school districts. It directs them to gather input from parents, teachers, and school administrators and submit specific recommendations for streamlining these processes by December 31, 2025. The resolution does not create new laws but aims to identify unnecessary paperwork or reporting requirements that divert staff time from teaching. It directly affects public schools across Tennessee by focusing on reducing non-educational administrative tasks.

SB 633 would have required Tennessee gun dealers to wait 14 days before transferring a firearm to a purchaser aged 18-20 years (older than 17 but younger than 21). This provision directly affected gun dealers and young adult purchasers in that age group. The bill amended Tennessee law to create a mandatory waiting period for these specific transactions. However, the bill was filed on January 31, 2025, and withdrawn on February 5, 2025, so it did not become law.

HB 360 would have required counties in Tennessee that adopted the 1957 County Purchasing Law to use competitive bidding for insurance brokerage services. It directly affected county governments by changing their procurement process for insurance brokers. The bill, which was introduced in 2025 but later withdrawn, amended Tennessee Code to allow county legislative bodies to mandate competitive bids for these services. The proposal did not create new insurance requirements but altered how counties could select insurance brokers.

SB 399, introduced in the Tennessee Senate in January 2025 and withdrawn in February 2025, proposed to allow counties that have adopted the County Purchasing Law of 1957 to require a competitive bid process for insurance brokerage services. The bill would have permitted county legislative bodies to mandate competitive bidding for insurance brokerage contracts, overriding any conflicting existing laws. This change would have directly affected county governments by altering how they procure insurance brokerage services, ensuring multiple bids are sought instead of direct negotiations. The bill aimed to standardize procurement practices under the 1957 purchasing law for insurance brokerage services.

SB 708 would have required Tennessee's Department of Safety to report by January 2026 on how driver license fees cover specific costs, including processing, information technology upgrades, and system maintenance. The report would have been submitted to the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee and the relevant House committee. This bill did not change current fee amounts or driver license procedures but aimed to clarify fee usage for legislative oversight. The bill was introduced in February 2025 but withdrawn before further action.

SB 783 (Tennessee) would have allowed county tax officials to skip billing or collecting personal property taxes under $20 for specific taxpayers, including waiving late penalties. It applied directly to local tax collectors and taxpayers with minimal tax liabilities. The bill required officials to track these cases and permitted future collection if the same taxpayer paid related taxes in a subsequent year (within legal limits). However, the bill was filed on February 4, 2025, and withdrawn the next day, so it never became law.

SB 894 would extend the validity period for contractor licenses in Tennessee from two years to four years. The bill amends specific sections of Tennessee law (TCA Title 62, Chapter 6) to change the renewal timeline from every two years to every four years for licensed contractors. This change would apply to licenses expiring on or after July 1, 2025, reducing the frequency of required renewals. The bill directly affects licensed contractors who must renew their credentials under this code section.