Tennessee Bills

SB 1302 requires Tennessee's Department of Safety to send its annual report on ignition interlock devices (devices that prevent car ignition if alcohol is detected) to the legislative librarian, in addition to legislative committees. This bill directly affects the Department of Safety (which must submit the report) and the legislative librarian (who will now receive the report). The change is procedural - it modifies report distribution under Tennessee law but does not alter the requirements for installing ignition interlocks or the devices' use. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 55-10-418 and related transportation codes.

SB 1398 (Tennessee Senate Bill 1398) amends Tennessee law to allow the state comptroller to deliver property tax relief cost and income limit estimates to the General Assembly via electronic means, rather than traditional methods. This procedural change directly affects members of the Tennessee General Assembly who receive these financial estimates. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 67-5-701(e)(1) and references Title 48 (real property taxes) to update how the comptroller communicates required data. It does not alter tax rates, eligibility, or taxpayer obligations - only the method of information delivery. The bill is currently in committee review after passing initial Senate consideration.

SB 712 removes an outdated requirement from Tennessee law that previously mandated the comptroller's office of research and education accountability to submit a report about community schools to education committees by November 1, 2018. The bill deletes Section 49-6-2406 and updates related references in the law to eliminate this obsolete reporting obligation. This is a procedural cleanup that affects the comptroller's office and education committees by removing a now-inactive administrative task. The bill does not change community school policies or create new requirements, only removing a specific, expired reporting mandate.

HB 803 amends Tennessee law to extend the appeal period for water and wastewater operator certification disputes. It increases the deadline for appealing a revocation or penalty from 60 to 65 days when challenging decisions made by the board of certification or the commissioner of environment and conservation. This change directly affects water and wastewater operators who face certification actions or civil penalties. The bill modifies specific sections of Tennessee Code related to utilities and environmental conservation to implement this time extension.

HB 359 increases penalties for driving without a valid driver's license in Tennessee. It upgrades a first offense from a Class C to a Class B misdemeanor and makes a second or subsequent offense within 10 years a Class A misdemeanor. The bill directly affects drivers who operate vehicles without a valid license, with penalties applying to violations occurring on or after July 1, 2025. This change amends Tennessee Code Sections 55-50-301 and related provisions.

SB 564 extends the appeal deadline for water and wastewater operators from 60 to 65 days when challenging revocation decisions or civil penalty assessments by the commissioner of environment and conservation. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 68-221-914(b) and related provisions in utility law to implement this change. It directly affects licensed water/wastewater operators who face disciplinary actions from the Board of Certification. This is a procedural adjustment with no new requirements or funding, simply increasing the timeframe for appeals.

SB 375 increases penalties for driving without a valid license in Tennessee. A first offense becomes a Class B misdemeanor (up from Class C), and a second or subsequent offense within 10 years becomes a Class A misdemeanor. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 39-11-101 and 55-50-301 to implement these changes, effective July 1, 2025. It directly affects drivers convicted of operating a vehicle without a valid license.

HB 890 allows Tennessee's state financial officer (comptroller of the treasury) to provide property tax relief cost and income limit estimates to lawmakers via electronic means, rather than traditional methods. This bill directly affects members of the Tennessee General Assembly, who receive these estimates to inform tax policy decisions. It amends Tennessee Code Sections 67-5-701 and related provisions to enable this electronic delivery process. The bill does not change tax rates, eligibility rules, or the substance of property tax relief programs - only the method for sharing required estimates. As a procedural change, it focuses on administrative efficiency in how data is shared with lawmakers.

HB 1446 is a symbolic resolution, not a law with practical effects. It declares the Tennessee General Assembly's findings that Judea and Samaria (historically known as parts of the Land of Israel) are the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people, citing biblical references and arguing that the term "West Bank" erases Jewish historical ties to the region. The bill makes no policy changes or legal obligations; it solely expresses the legislature's position through a series of historical and religious statements. This resolution directly affects no individuals or entities, as it serves only as a formal statement of opinion. It is a procedural, commemorative measure with no enforcement mechanism or impact on state or federal policy.

HB 2423 requires Tennessee's state board of education to recognize an advanced degree in media and technology as qualifying for a library information specialist endorsement. It sets specific staffing rules for public high schools (grades 9-12) based on student enrollment: schools with 750-1,500 students must hire a full-time specialist, while smaller schools (under 750 students) must employ a part-time specialist or designate a teacher as a library coordinator. The bill also mandates that someone must supervise students in the library during school hours if a specialist is not present. These requirements take effect July 1, 2026, directly impacting Tennessee public high schools.

HB 2495 increases the required notice period for real estate wholesalers from three to five business days. Specifically, it amends Tennessee law to require buyers engaging in property wholesaling to provide sellers with at least five business days' notice before transferring their interest in a property. This change directly affects real estate buyers who assign their purchase rights to another buyer before closing. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 66, Section 66-4-403(a)(1)(B), to extend the notice timeframe without altering other transaction requirements.

HB 2160 would require Tennessee counties to transition from at-large elections for county commissioners to district-based elections by the 2030 federal census. The bill prohibits counties from having a single district covering the entire county and bans the election of commissioners in at-large districts. Counties currently using at-large systems must amend their charters to create districts before the 2030 census. This directly affects Tennessee counties that currently elect their county legislative body members by the entire county rather than by geographic districts.