Tennessee Bills

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.

HB 1640 would amend Tennessee's public records law to make specific records held by the Office of Homeland Security confidential. It directly affects public access to records related to critical infrastructure security, including threat analyses, infrastructure protection plans, and responses to security threats. The bill exempts three categories of records from disclosure: those describing protected critical infrastructure, records about preventing or responding to threats against infrastructure, and records designated confidential by the commissioner. This change would prevent public requests for these specific homeland security documents under Tennessee's open records law. The bill is currently pending review by the State & Local Government Committee.

HB 1895 requires Tennessee public schools to notify parents or guardians when a student is evacuated from a classroom due to another student's violent, aggressive, or severely disruptive behavior that creates a safety concern. It directly affects parents of students removed from classrooms during such incidents and mandates that school staff provide written notification by the end of the school day, including a general description of the incident and safety steps taken. The bill prohibits disclosing the identity of the student causing the disruption or violating privacy laws like FERPA. Schools must also maintain records of each evacuation, including timing, number of students affected, and notification details. This law, set to take effect July 1, 2026, aims to improve transparency while protecting student privacy.

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.

HB 1934 requires the Tennessee public charter school commission to notify the chairs of the education committees in both the Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives when a new opportunity public charter school opens in the state, including the school's specific location. This notification must occur at the time the school opens. The bill adds this reporting requirement to existing law without changing charter school rules or operations. It directly affects the commission (which must send the notice) and the legislative education committees (which receive the information).

HB 1839 prevents Tennessee's Department of Correction from moving inmates from local jails to state facilities if they're in work release or re-entry programs. The bill specifically prohibits relocation unless an inmate fails to meet program requirements or has disciplinary issues that warrant removal. This directly affects inmates participating in these community-based programs, ensuring they can continue their supervision in local jails without unnecessary transfer. The law amends Tennessee statutes to enforce this restriction, focusing on maintaining program stability for eligible participants.

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.

HB 664 removes outdated language from Tennessee law that required the comptroller's office to submit a report to education committees about community schools by November 1, 2018. This bill deletes the obsolete provision (TCA § 49-6-2406) and corrects related references in the code. It directly affects no current policy or stakeholders, as the reporting deadline expired years ago and the requirement is now irrelevant. The change is purely procedural, eliminating outdated legal language without altering any substantive education policies or obligations.

HB 1317 requires Tennessee's Department of Safety to provide a copy of its annual report on ignition interlock devices to the legislative librarian, in addition to legislative committees. The report tracks offenders who have these devices installed on their vehicles and confirms whether each installation followed legal requirements. This change directly affects the Department of Safety (which must submit the report) and the legislative librarian (who will receive it). The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 55-10-418 and related transportation laws to add this reporting requirement.