Tennessee Bills

SB 1956 requires Tennessee's Secretary of State to compile and publish a report using existing resources on the number of nonprofit corporate registrations revoked for legal violations over the past three calendar years. The report must be transmitted to the Senate and House chief clerks and the legislative librarian by December 31, 2026, and may be shared electronically. This bill does not change existing laws about revoking registrations but creates a new reporting requirement for the Secretary of State's office to provide transparency to the legislature.

HB 1476, known as the "Charlie Kirk Act," requires all Tennessee public universities to adopt and post two specific policies from the University of Chicago: its 2014 free expression policy and its 1967 Kalven Report on the university's role in political action. The law mandates that institutions incorporate these exact policies into their bylaws and website content, emphasizing free speech protections and the university's non-partisan role in social issues. It specifies that institutions must include verbatim passages from both documents, such as the Chicago policy's stance against suppressing speech due to offense and the Kalven Report's principle that universities should not take collective political positions. Failure to comply could result in legal action via writ of mandamus or injunction.

SB 1663, titled the "Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act," is a symbolic resolution that declares Tennessee's recognition of Judea and Samaria as the historically accurate names for the region. The bill states findings that emphasize the biblical and historical significance of the area to Jewish identity, including references to religious texts and historical events. It does not create new laws, impose requirements, or affect any individuals or entities, as it is purely declarative. The resolution aims to affirm the state's position on the region's naming and historical context without altering policy or legal obligations.

HB 2074 requires public safety employers (like police departments, fire departments, and emergency medical services) to provide employees or job applicants with reasonable access to their full employment records, including mental health evaluation results. If a job applicant is denied employment based on a mental health screening, they must be shown the results and can request a second evaluation at their own expense. The employer must then reevaluate the applicant using the new results. This bill directly affects public safety workers and applicants in Tennessee, creating a clear process for accessing sensitive employment information.

HB 1671 prohibits Tennessee local governments from moving homeless individuals to another jurisdiction without the receiving area's written consent (§7-51-2801) and bans using public funds for such relocations without verified housing/services in the new area (§7-51-2802). The bill authorizes Tennessee's attorney general to seek $10,000 civil penalties per violation and lets affected jurisdictions sue for damages or court orders to stop violations (§7-51-2803). It directly affects cities and counties managing homeless services and homeless individuals relocated between areas. The law amends specific Tennessee Code sections related to local government operations and homeless services.

SB 1816 amends Tennessee Code § 57-3-101 to explicitly include "bottling distilled spirits" under the definition of "manufacture" for alcohol licensing purposes. This change directly affects businesses that bottle distilled spirits (like whiskey or vodka) by requiring them to obtain a manufacturing license, rather than a separate bottling permit. The bill updates the legal definition so that bottling is treated as part of the manufacturing process, aligning licensing requirements with distilling and brewing activities. It does not create new taxes or restrictions but clarifies regulatory oversight for bottled spirits. The bill is currently pending in the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

SB 1935 extends Tennessee's homestead exemption - a property tax protection - to adult children (18+ years old) with developmental or intellectual disabilities when a head of household dies. Currently, the exemption covers surviving spouses and minor children; this bill adds eligible adult children who live in the home as their primary residence. The law uses existing definitions of "developmental disability" and "intellectual disability" from state code, and ensures that if property can't be protected as homestead, $35,000 in proceeds must be allocated to the adult child or spouse. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects families with disabled adult children facing potential loss of their home after a parent's death.

SB 1858 amends Tennessee law to extend the timeframe for the state legislature to fix redistricting plan defects from 15 to 90 calendar days after a court identifies issues. This change directly affects courts and the Tennessee General Assembly when addressing problems in legislative or congressional district maps. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated § 20-18-105(a) to require courts to provide the legislature with a 90-day window to correct redistricting flaws, rather than the previous 15-day period. The legislation is procedural, focusing solely on adjusting the deadline for legislative action without altering redistricting standards or outcomes.

SB 1881 would make certain records held by Tennessee's Office of Homeland Security about critical infrastructure confidential, preventing public access through standard public records requests. Specifically, it exempts three types of records: security analyses and warnings for infrastructure systems (like power grids or water facilities), threat prevention and defense efforts, and any records designated by the agency as relating to critical infrastructure. This bill amends Tennessee's public records law (TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5) to add these specific exemptions. The change directly affects the public's right to access this information and the Office of Homeland Security's disclosure obligations.

HB 1952 expands the scope of practice for Tennessee optometrists by allowing them to perform certain surgical procedures for eye conditions, subject to board approval and specific training. The bill permits optometrists to conduct minor surgeries like eyelid lesion removals, abscess drainage, or simple laceration repairs (e.g., excising small non-cancerous growths or repairing small eyelid cuts), but explicitly prohibits procedures such as cataract surgery, LASIK, corneal transplants, or retina operations. It requires optometrists using local anesthetics for these procedures to meet board certification standards and provide proof of training. This change directly affects licensed optometrists in Tennessee, enabling them to provide more comprehensive primary eye care within defined limits.

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.