Tennessee Bills

HB 1692 (Tennessee) would allow courts to waive the standard home study requirement for adoptions when a child has already lived with the prospective adoptive parents for six months, provided the adoption is deemed in the child's best interest. This change applies directly to adoptive parents seeking to adopt a child already residing in their home for six months, including cases where the child is not a relative. The bill amends Tennessee adoption laws (Titles 36 and 37) to expand existing waiver provisions for related adoptions to include this six-month residency scenario. It requires courts to review the child’s circumstances and confirm the adoption serves the child’s best interest before waiving the home study and six-month waiting period.

SB 1888 clarifies eligibility for burial in Tennessee's state veterans' cemeteries for military service members, veterans (including National Guard and reserve component members), and their spouses and children. It specifies that eligible veterans must have been honorably discharged after completing their service obligation, and requires specific documentation like NGB Forms, DD Forms, or discharge orders to verify service. The bill prohibits fees for burial for eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children as defined by federal law. It ensures compliance with federal regulations to protect state veterans' cemetery funding.

SB 1904 would lower Tennessee's minimum age requirement for becoming a licensed bid caller auctioneer from 18 to 16 years old. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 19, Section 62-19-111(a)(1)(A), directly affecting young residents aged 16-17 who wish to pursue this specific career. The change only modifies the age eligibility threshold - other licensing requirements like training or exams remain unchanged. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee after passing initial legislative steps.

SB 1981 modifies Tennessee's workers' compensation law to protect employees in medical disputes. It specifically waives an employer's or their workers' compensation carrier's right to recover attorney fees or claim a subrogation lien if the employer contested medical aspects of the injury (causation, permanency, or extent) using a medical opinion different from the employee's C-42 panel physician. This change directly affects employees who successfully recover from third parties after such disputes. The bill also increases certain benefit percentages from 66⅔% to 75% and clarifies permanent disability benefit rules, but the core provision focuses on preventing employers from recouping costs when they dispute medical evidence.

SB 2087 requires Tennessee school principals to notify parents or guardians when a classroom evacuation occurs due to another student's violent, aggressive, or severely disruptive behavior. Parents must receive a notification by the end of the school day, including a brief explanation of the incident and safety steps taken, without disclosing the student who caused the disruption or violating privacy laws like FERPA. Schools must also maintain written records of each evacuation, including notification details. This bill directly affects parents of students in classrooms evacuated for safety reasons and applies to all Tennessee public schools.

SB 1914 prevents Tennessee's Department of Correction from moving state inmates out of local jails into state facilities if they're in a work release or re-entry program, unless the inmate fails program requirements or has disciplinary issues. This directly affects inmates participating in these community-based programs who might otherwise face sudden relocation. The bill adds a specific legal prohibition requiring the department to maintain these inmates in local jails during program participation, barring only documented failures or misconduct. It creates a concrete policy change to support continuity in rehabilitation programs by limiting arbitrary transfers.

SB 1931 requires Tennessee's public charter school commission to notify the chairs of the state Senate and House education committees whenever a new "opportunity public charter school" opens in the state, including the school's location. This notification requirement amends existing state law (TCA Title 49) governing charter schools. The bill directly affects the commission, which must provide this information to legislative leaders, and the education committees, which would receive the updates. It does not change school operations or funding but adds a procedural step for legislative oversight. The bill is currently in the committee review stage.

SB 550 amends Tennessee law to require the Senate Speaker to appoint one medical cannabis commission member as a substance abuse prevention specialist, selected from a list of three names provided by the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee. This change directly affects the medical cannabis commission composition and the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee, which must submit the candidate list. The appointment must occur on or after July 1, 2025, and replaces the previous requirement for this commission role. The bill updates Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 7, regarding commission membership criteria.

SB 1302 requires Tennessee's Department of Safety to send its annual report on ignition interlock devices (devices that prevent car ignition if alcohol is detected) to the legislative librarian, in addition to legislative committees. This bill directly affects the Department of Safety (which must submit the report) and the legislative librarian (who will now receive the report). The change is procedural - it modifies report distribution under Tennessee law but does not alter the requirements for installing ignition interlocks or the devices' use. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 55-10-418 and related transportation codes.

SB 1398 (Tennessee Senate Bill 1398) amends Tennessee law to allow the state comptroller to deliver property tax relief cost and income limit estimates to the General Assembly via electronic means, rather than traditional methods. This procedural change directly affects members of the Tennessee General Assembly who receive these financial estimates. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 67-5-701(e)(1) and references Title 48 (real property taxes) to update how the comptroller communicates required data. It does not alter tax rates, eligibility, or taxpayer obligations - only the method of information delivery. The bill is currently in committee review after passing initial Senate consideration.

SB 712 removes an outdated requirement from Tennessee law that previously mandated the comptroller's office of research and education accountability to submit a report about community schools to education committees by November 1, 2018. The bill deletes Section 49-6-2406 and updates related references in the law to eliminate this obsolete reporting obligation. This is a procedural cleanup that affects the comptroller's office and education committees by removing a now-inactive administrative task. The bill does not change community school policies or create new requirements, only removing a specific, expired reporting mandate.

HB 803 amends Tennessee law to extend the appeal period for water and wastewater operator certification disputes. It increases the deadline for appealing a revocation or penalty from 60 to 65 days when challenging decisions made by the board of certification or the commissioner of environment and conservation. This change directly affects water and wastewater operators who face certification actions or civil penalties. The bill modifies specific sections of Tennessee Code related to utilities and environmental conservation to implement this time extension.