Tennessee Bills

This bill would allow Tennessee's state board of education to waive the bachelor's degree requirement for educators who have at least five years of teaching experience at a church-related or approved private school. The waiver would permit these individuals to teach in public schools for up to three years, with the possibility of renewal. To qualify, applicants would need to provide verification of their teaching experience, demonstrate comparable instructional skills, complete professional development, and undergo background checks. The bill also requires annual performance evaluations by the school district for individuals holding this waiver. This change would directly affect educators with private or church school experience who lack traditional college degrees but have substantial teaching experience.

HB 1678 amends Tennessee law to increase penalties for introducing or possessing contraband in prisons. It raises the felony classification for certain violations (like bringing weapons or drugs) from a Class C to Class B felony, Class D to Class C, or Class E to Class D felony if the act results in another person's death. The bill specifically targets cases involving telecommunication devices (like phones) if death occurs. These changes directly affect individuals who bring prohibited items into correctional facilities, such as inmates, visitors, or staff.

HB 2065 amends Tennessee's aggravated criminal trespass law to include disrupting a religious assembly within a building on property as a new qualifying condition. This change makes such disruption a Class A misdemeanor, the highest misdemeanor offense in Tennessee, directly affecting individuals who enter or remain on property without permission and interfere with religious services. The bill adds this specific provision to the existing criteria for aggravated trespass, which already covers causing fear, damaging barriers, or recklessly damaging property. It does not alter penalties for other trespass offenses but expands the definition to explicitly protect religious gatherings.

HB 1675 requires Tennessee school districts (LEAs) to classify school nurses as "licensed personnel" for salary purposes, mandating they receive at least the base salary for licensed teachers with a bachelor's degree and zero experience. School nurses with more training/experience must receive higher pay, while those with less must receive lower pay, based on specific qualifications like nursing licensure and national certification. The bill applies only to district-employed nurses (not contractors) and prevents salary reductions for nurses already employed when the new salary schedule takes effect. It becomes effective for the 2026-2027 school year.

HB 2047 amends Tennessee tax code to allow qualified data centers applying for job tax credits to electronically certify they have not violated federal labor laws (including the WARN Act and Fair Labor Standards Act) or federal immigration laws in the past 12 months. This certification is required as part of the tax credit application process. The bill directly affects data centers seeking these credits by adding a compliance verification step to their application. It streamlines the process by permitting electronic submission instead of paper-based documentation.

HB 1505 creates a temporary sales tax exemption for firearms and ammunition sold in Tennessee between July 3 and July 6, 2026. This bill directly affects retailers selling these items during that specific four-day period, as they would not collect state sales tax on those transactions. The key provision amends Tennessee's tax code to exclude firearms and ammunition from the sales tax during the designated holiday window. The exemption applies only to retail sales during the July 3-6, 2026 period, with no other changes to tax policy.

HB 1917 redefines Tennessee's counseling licensure by creating a new "limited practice professional counselor" (LPPC) category while eliminating the previous distinction. It requires all current LPPC license holders to transition to the standard "licensed professional counselor" (LPC) category by July 1, 2028, when LPPC licenses will no longer be issued. The bill amends multiple state codes to update terminology, clarify requirements for LPC licensure (including specific coursework and supervised experience), and establish the transition timeline. This directly affects current LPPC license holders who must convert to LPC status before the 2028 deadline.

HB 1538 increases penalties for knowingly flying drones over correctional facilities in Tennessee, raising the offense from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class C felony. The bill directly affects drone operators who fly unmanned aircraft near prisons, with correctional facility employees authorized to disable such drones without liability for damage. Key provisions include the felony penalty for violations and explicit protection for facilities/employees who disable drones operating over correctional property. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 2055 changes Tennessee law to require school districts (Local Education Agencies) to give 40 days' notice - not 30 days - to the local education insurance committee before altering health benefits under existing insurance plans. This amendment modifies Tennessee Code Annotated Section 8-27-303(g) to extend the filing deadline. The bill directly affects school districts managing employee health insurance, providing them an additional 10 days to submit changes. It is a procedural adjustment with no broader policy implications, focusing solely on administrative timing.

HB 1964 reclassifies Tennessee counties into five population-based classes (from over 49,000 residents down to 15,000 or less) to determine salaries for general sessions and juvenile judges starting September 1, 2030. It establishes new minimum salary requirements for these judges and creates a county litigation tax on civil, criminal, juvenile, and traffic cases to fund the salaries. The bill ensures judges' salaries won't decrease if a county's population drops after election, but can increase if population rises. This affects all Tennessee counties and their judicial systems through the new funding mechanism and classification rules.

HB 1838 requires all high school students (grades 9-12), not just seniors, to take nationally recognized career readiness assessments. It also directs the Tennessee Board of Regents to create a system allowing students to earn college credit for these assessments toward postsecondary degrees. The bill directly affects high schools, public charter schools, and colleges governed by the Board of Regents. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and aims to better align high school career preparation with college pathways.

HB 1658 requires new teachers in Tennessee to pass a U.S. civics test to obtain their first practitioner teacher or practitioner occupational teacher license. Beginning July 1, 2027, applicants must score at least 70% on a 100-question test based on the U.S. citizenship civics exam administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Tennessee Department of Education will create and administer the test, provide a certificate for passing scores, and offer online study resources - but will not provide remedial instruction. This bill directly affects individuals seeking their initial teaching license in Tennessee, aiming to ensure educators demonstrate foundational knowledge of U.S. government and civics.