Tennessee Bills

SB 1819 requires Tennessee public high schools to provide students enrolled in U.S. government and civics courses with three mandatory civic engagement field days - one observing each branch of government (legislative, judicial, and executive). Specifically, students must visit a city council/county commission (legislative), a courthouse to observe proceedings (judicial), and a mayor/governor’s office (executive). Schools are not required to reschedule for absences or allow students excluded for disciplinary reasons (per school policies) to attend. The law applies starting the 2026-2027 school year.

SB 2077 amends Tennessee law to allow all non-legislative members of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) review committee - such as agency directors - to appoint a designee (someone they delegate to represent them) instead of restricting this authority solely to the director of the office of legislative budget analysis. The bill changes the composition rules for the TISA committee, which oversees education funding, by expanding who can appoint a substitute member. This procedural update affects committee members who currently cannot appoint designees, streamlining committee participation. The change takes effect upon the bill becoming law.

SB 1567 is a proposed bill that establishes rules for Tennessee's participation in a national Article V convention to propose U.S. constitutional amendments. It sets strict qualifications for commissioners (e.g., U.S. citizenship, no recent lobbying/federal roles) and requires a two-thirds joint legislative vote to appoint them, with equal representation across Tennessee's grand divisions. The bill restricts commissioners from supporting changes to voting rules, altering individual liberty guarantees in the Constitution, or promoting non-germane amendments. It also mandates that participation costs only occur after legislative approval through specific joint resolutions. This bill, currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee, would govern Tennessee's delegate conduct if the state ever joins an Article V convention.

SB 1775 amends Tennessee's open meetings law to require additional local governing bodies to publish meeting agendas in advance. It specifically adds public school boards (local education agencies) and other local bodies with decision-making or funding authority to the list of groups required to provide public notice. The key change is expanding the existing requirement in TCA § 8-44-110 to include these new entities, ensuring their meeting agendas are available to the public before meetings occur. This directly affects school boards and similar local bodies that make binding decisions or handle public funds.

SB 1578 is a procedural bill that renames a water and wastewater treatment facility serving the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee as the "Michael Banks Water Treatment Facility." The bill requires the Megasite Authority to install signs or markers identifying the facility by this new name using existing funds. This is a ceremonial designation with no substantive policy changes or financial impacts beyond the naming. The bill does not affect any regulations, services, or funding for the facility itself.

SB 1561 extends the term of the Tennessee State University Board of Trustees until June 30, 2029, by amending Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 4-29-247 and 4-29-250. This bill directly affects the board members who govern Tennessee State University, removing an automatic expiration date and providing continued oversight. The key mechanism involves updating the legal code to specify the new termination date for the board's authority. The bill does not alter university operations or funding but ensures continuity in leadership. (Note: The bill is currently pending in the Senate committee process as of the provided actions.)

SB 1753 amends Tennessee law to prohibit using the terms "clinical informatics," "lifestyle medicine," or "medical virtualist" after a person’s name to mislead others into believing they are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine. The bill directly affects healthcare professionals who might use these titles without proper medical licensure. It adds these specific terms to the existing list of prohibited designations under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 63-6-204(m)(1) and related chapters. The legislation aims to prevent public confusion about who is legally authorized to provide medical care. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee after passing initial committee stages.

SB 1581 amends Tennessee law to increase the maximum weekly hours adult day services can provide (from 12 to 16 hours) and the maximum number of adults they can serve simultaneously (from 15 to 20) while still qualifying for a licensing exemption. This directly affects adult day care centers in Tennessee that currently operate under the old limits but wish to expand services without full state licensing. The bill updates two specific sections of Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 2 (sections 71-2-402(c)(2)(A)(iii) and 71-2-402(c)(2)(D)), raising these numerical thresholds. The policy change allows more centers to maintain exemption status while increasing service capacity.

SB 400 changes the deadline by which local education agencies (LEAs) operating public charter schools must publish specific building information on their websites. Instead of posting details like building location, square footage, enrollment capacity, and usage by May 1, LEAs will now have until May 15 each year. This bill directly affects public school districts and charter schools in Tennessee that fall under these reporting requirements. The change only adjusts the annual deadline; it does not alter the required information or add new reporting obligations.

SB 591 creates two new offenses in Tennessee law: a Class E felony for recklessly threatening mass violence against child care agencies, preschools, or religious institutions via any communication method, and a Class B misdemeanor for failing to report such threats. The bill requires anyone who knows of such a threat to immediately report it to local law enforcement and the affected institution, including specific details like the threat's nature and the person making it. It also allows courts to order threat-related defendants to undergo evaluations for potential harm and mandates restitution for disruptions caused by threats. The law directly affects individuals making or ignoring threats to vulnerable institutions, with penalties taking effect July 1, 2025.

SB 1159, the "Proximity Placement and Family Visitation Incentive Act," allows eligible incarcerated individuals in Tennessee to transfer to correctional facilities closer to their home counties if they meet specific criteria. It directly affects inmates who maintain good behavior for at least 12 months and participate in rehabilitation programs, as well as their families who face travel costs or hardship visiting them. The bill’s key mechanism requires inmates to demonstrate good conduct and program participation to qualify for transfer, with priority given to those with regular family visitation records or documented economic hardship from travel. The Tennessee Department of Correction must track visitation metrics, transfer requests, and outcomes to implement the law. This policy aims to strengthen family bonds, reduce recidivism, and lower financial burdens on low-income families.

SB 837 defines key legal terms in Tennessee law to clarify statutory interpretation. It specifies that "person," "human being," "life," and "natural person" include biological humans (including the unborn from fertilization) but explicitly exclude artificial intelligence, algorithms, software, hardware, and machines. These definitions amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 1, Section 1-3-105(a), to prevent legal personhood for technology. The bill does not create new regulations but ensures these terms are interpreted consistently in existing laws. It affects how Tennessee statutes apply to human vs. machine entities in legal contexts.