Rep. Rick Eldridge

Maddy summaryHB 989 requires Tennessee's administrative office of the courts to report to legislative leaders by October 1, 2025, on how many employers were convicted of illegally firing employees for serving on a jury. The report will cover all such convictions under existing law (Tennessee Code § 39-16-514) from 1990 through 2025. This bill does not change the law or create new penalties - it only mandates a data collection effort to track enforcement of the current prohibition against employer retaliation for jury service. The summary focuses solely on the reporting requirement, which directly affects the administrative office (as the reporter) and the legislature (as the recipient of the data).

Maddy summaryHB 1653 requires Tennessee's Department of Human Services to allocate a minimum of $16,000 annually from vocational rehabilitation funds specifically for accessible information services supporting blind residents. This includes maintaining access to the National Federation of the Blind newsline and related services that help blind Tennesseans access education, employment, and civic participation. The bill mandates that these funds must be used to maintain existing services and support outreach activities like consumer education and employer engagement. It aims to restore stability after past funding disruptions by creating a clear annual funding requirement for these critical services.

Maddy summaryHB 2122 changes how Hamblen County, Tennessee, handles its county attorney position. It moves the election from July to September (held at the county commission's September meeting) and shifts responsibility for reviewing the attorney's compensation and expense reimbursements from the finance committee to the full county legislative body. The bill also requires a two-thirds vote by Hamblen County's legislative body to approve these changes. The county attorney will continue to receive a $1,200 annual retainer, with additional pay for legal services subject to review by the legislative body. This is a procedural update to local election and compensation rules for Hamblen County.

Maddy summaryHB 2124 changes the annual reporting deadline for school safety compliance in Tennessee. It amends state law to shift the date when the education and safety commissioners must jointly submit their report on the "Schools Against Violence in Education Act" from February 1 to October 1 each year. This directly affects the education commissioner and safety commissioner, who must now submit their annual compliance report later in the year. The bill makes no substantive changes to school safety requirements, only the timing of the reporting deadline.

Maddy summaryHB 1736 allows alcohol retailers in commercial airport terminal buildings to offer free samples of their products to customers. This bill amends Tennessee Code §57-3-204(h)(3) to explicitly permit such complimentary tastings. The change directly affects airport-based alcohol licensees by expanding their permitted sales activities within terminal buildings. The provision takes effect upon becoming law, as specified in the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 1293 amends Tennessee's public records law (TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5) by removing an automatic expiration date for a provision allowing government officials (records custodians) to seek court orders against individuals making public records requests with the intent to disrupt government operations. The bill deletes the specific subdivision (10-7-503(a)(7)(C)(vi)) that would have ended this authority on July 1, 2025. This change permanently maintains the legal tool for officials to address abusive requests that interfere with government functions. The law directly affects public records custodians and individuals whose requests are deemed disruptive under this provision.

Maddy summaryHB 620 amends Tennessee election law to authorize Hamblen County to join a pilot program for convenience voting centers. The bill adds a specific population requirement (64,400-64,500 residents per the 2020 census) for counties eligible to participate in the pilot, which Hamblen County meets. This change directly affects Hamblen County by allowing it to implement convenience voting centers as part of the pilot program. The bill does not alter existing voting procedures but establishes a new eligibility criterion for the pilot initiative.

Maddy summaryHB 381 requires Tennessee's alcohol commission to produce an annual report listing all individuals convicted under Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-4-205 (which governs alcohol consumption violations) and submit it to specific legislative committees. The first report must include all prior convictions and be filed by December 1, 2025, with subsequent reports due annually by December 1. This bill does not change liquor sales rules or affect businesses; it solely establishes a reporting mechanism for enforcement data. The bill’s actual focus is on transparency in alcohol violation enforcement, not expanding liquor service as suggested by its title. (Note: The bill text provided does not align with the title's description of new liquor sales provisions; the actual content relates only to reporting requirements.)

Maddy summaryHB 530 modifies Tennessee's boating safety regulations by removing the requirement for monitoring of boating safety examinations. It replaces fixed statutory fees for boating safety certificates and replacement cards with authority for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to set those fees. The bill directly affects boaters needing safety certification by changing how fees are determined and eliminating oversight of exam administration. Key provisions amend Tennessee Code Annotated § 69-9-226(a), (c), and (d)(4)(A) to remove "monitored" language and authorize TWRA fee-setting. The changes take effect upon becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 621 simplifies renewal processes for vehicle protection product warrantors (companies selling warranty services) in Tennessee. It eliminates the need to resubmit already registered warranties when renewing, instead requiring written notification of any registration changes within 30 days. This notification does not require a new registration application, reducing administrative steps for businesses. The changes, effective July 1, 2025, amend Tennessee Code § 56-55-104(d) to streamline compliance for warrantors.