Tennessee Bills

HB 2477 extends the deadline for estates of emergency responders (including firefighters, volunteer rescue workers, and EMTs) to file death benefit claims from three years after death to three years after a court or official confirms the death occurred "in the line of duty." It also extends the appeal window for denied claims from 90 days to one year and establishes specific review processes for each responder type: the Peace Officer Standards Commission for law enforcement, the Firefighting Personnel Commission for firefighters, and the EMS Board for EMTs. These changes directly affect families seeking benefits for responders killed while performing official duties. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 7-51-210(c) and (e) to implement these procedural updates.

SB 2231 updates Tennessee's oil and gas drilling regulations by revising key definitions (replacing "crude petroleum" with "oil" and clarifying "well" to include production boreholes), reducing required buffer zones from streams from 0.5 miles to 0.25 miles, and mandating permits for surface disturbances and drilling operations. It requires operators to submit and comply with approved plans, with non-compliance risking suspension, permit revocation, or fines. These changes directly affect oil and gas operators, producers, and drilling companies conducting well operations across Tennessee. The bill modernizes procedural requirements while maintaining environmental and operational safeguards for drilling activities.

SB 2525 allows Tennessee high school students aged 15-19 to work in childcare centers outside school hours or through approved work-based learning programs, provided they've completed at least two courses in an education/training career cluster. The bill directly affects eligible students and childcare centers that can hire them under these conditions. It prohibits students from working in childcare centers located in a primary caregiver's home and requires the state department to create implementing rules. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 2411 integrates Tennessee's TennCare bureau into the Statewide Planning and Policy Council by adding the director of long-term care services and a managed care organization representative to the council's membership. The bill expands the council's role to advise both the department and TennCare leadership on programs, funding, and TennCare waiver implementation. These changes amend Tennessee Code Sections 52-5-601 and 52-5-602 to formally include TennCare within the council's advisory structure. The bill affects how TennCare operations are coordinated with state health planning efforts.

SB 2239 requires Tennessee medical and osteopathic license holders to complete at least one hour of annual continuing education on nutrition topics. This applies specifically to the Board of Medical Examiners (under Title 63, Chapter 6) and the Board of Osteopathic Examination (under Title 63, Chapter 9). The bill amends existing law to mandate this nutrition education requirement as part of their standard continuing education hours. The policy change will affect all physicians and osteopathic physicians renewing their licenses in Tennessee, effective January 1, 2028.

HB 2125 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to work with the Department of Safety to create mandatory guidelines for public schools and charter schools offering driver education courses. These guidelines must include specific safety content: road safety tips, use of the Department of Safety's driver manual, and education on the dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 49-1-204 and 55 to implement this requirement, directly affecting all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools providing driver training. The guidelines will take effect July 1, 2026.

SB 2535 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to work with the Department of Safety to create guidelines for public schools and charter schools offering driver education courses. These guidelines must include safety driving tips, use of the Department of Safety's driver license manual for instruction, and lessons on the dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving. The bill directly affects all local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools providing driver education. It mandates these specific content requirements to standardize safety education, effective July 1, 2026. The bill does not provide funding or change existing course requirements but sets new instructional standards.

SB 2232 establishes clear rules for distributing funds from Tennessee's governor's response and recovery fund after disasters. It requires that the governor and local governments declare a state of emergency, federal aid must be unavailable or insufficient, and costs must exceed specific thresholds before funds can be provided. The bill specifies that funds can cover debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repairing infrastructure like roads, bridges, and public utilities - excluding damage already covered by insurance - but cannot be used for public property damage. Eligible local governments (counties, cities, etc.) and individuals must prove residency, need, and meet cost criteria, with local cost-sharing required for grants based on a county's economic status.

SB 2225 modifies Tennessee's child abuse investigation process. It requires child protective teams handling human trafficking cases to include a representative from a non-governmental agency specializing in combating commercial sexual exploitation of minors (previously permitted but not required). The bill also extends the deadline for determining if reported abuse was indicated or unfounded from 60 days to 90 days for most cases, and to 180 days for child fatality cases (with possible 180-day extensions for good cause). These changes directly affect child protective teams, state departments handling abuse reports, and children involved in trafficking or severe abuse investigations.

SB 2167 integrates Tennessee's TennCare program into the statewide planning and policy council by adding the director of long-term care services and a managed care organization representative to the council's membership. The bill expands the council's advisory and reporting duties to specifically include TennCare's director, services, and waiver implementation, alongside existing department programs. It amends Tennessee Code to update references from "the department" to include "the bureau of TennCare" in council functions and reporting requirements. This structural change affects the council, TennCare operations, and managed care organizations that contract with TennCare. The bill does not alter TennCare's policies or funding but changes how the program is coordinated within the state's planning structure.

HB 2179 modifies Tennessee workers' compensation rules to protect employees who win third-party lawsuits after employers contested medical aspects of their claims. Specifically, if an employer disputes medical causation, permanency, or injury extent using their own medical opinion (not the employee's C-42 panel physician), they lose the right to recover attorney fees or claim a subrogation lien when the employee recovers from a third party. This change directly affects employers and their workers' compensation insurers who contest medical evaluations. The bill also raises certain benefit percentages from 66⅔% to 75% and clarifies permanent disability benefit rights, but the key provision focuses on removing financial penalties for employers who contest medical opinions.

HB 2187 would enable Tennessee to participate in a federal tax credit program that allows individuals to deduct donations to scholarship organizations. The bill requires the state education department to certify qualifying organizations and publish their list, aligning with federal rules under Section 25F of the Internal Revenue Code. These certified organizations could then provide scholarships covering K-12 education expenses, including homeschooling costs, as permitted by federal law. The program would become available for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.