Rep. Elaine Davis

Maddy summaryHB 1661 defines when a minor under 18 is considered engaged in compensated online content creation (requiring at least 30% of content featuring them plus meeting compensation thresholds). It requires content creators to establish trust accounts holding minors' earnings until age 18, maintain detailed records for three years after the minor turns 21, and provide access to these records. The law applies to minors featured in compensated content, including content created by family members or family-run channels, but excludes incidental appearances at public events like concerts. It updates Tennessee law to establish these standards for content creators working with minors.

Maddy summaryHB 1686 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to create a performance-based contracting program for private and public entities operating state prison facilities. The bill ties 25% of a contractor's annual funding to measurable improvements in 14 specific performance metrics, including staff turnover rates, inmate safety (like preventable deaths), participation in rehabilitation programs, and post-release employment or recidivism rates. Contractors must meet yearly targets for these metrics to receive the conditional funds, with failure to improve resulting in the funds returning to the state general fund. This directly affects prison contractors, not inmates or staff, by linking their payments to documented performance outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 134 prohibits Tennessee public schools and charter schools from selling or providing food or beverages containing Red 40 (Allura Red AC) to students on school property through school nutrition programs, vending machines, or authorized third parties. The ban takes effect August 1, 2027, and applies to all school nutrition offerings except fundraising events. This directly affects school districts, charter schools, and vendors operating under school authorization. The law aims to restrict a specific artificial dye in student food items, with no exemptions for general cafeteria sales.

Maddy summaryHB 49 amends Tennessee law to expand the authority of temporary district attorneys (pro tem) to handle certain civil cases, not just criminal ones. It requires the District Attorneys General Conference to provide legal counsel to district attorneys and their staff, with this advice treated as confidential and not subject to public disclosure. The bill also changes meeting rules, making most conference meetings open to the public but allowing limited closed sessions for specific topics like litigation or audits. These changes directly affect Tennessee district attorneys, their staff, and the operations of the District Attorneys General Conference.

Maddy summaryHB 23 clarifies the definition of "district" for municipal elections in Tennessee by explicitly including terms like precinct, ward, sector, or territory. It directly affects local election administrators and candidates who use these geographic terms to organize voting areas. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 6-53-110 and related provisions to standardize this terminology, ensuring consistency in how election districts are described and administered. This is a definitional change with no new voting rules or policy shifts.

Maddy summaryHB 37 requires insurers offering health plans to Tennessee state employees to treat FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications equally with opioids on their preferred drug lists (PDL). It prohibits insurers from discouraging coverage for non-opioid options used for pain management, though it allows insurers to prefer one opioid over another or one non-opioid over another. This applies specifically to state employee group insurance plans covered under Tennessee Code Annotated sections 56-7-3801 to 56-7-3803. The law, effective January 1, 2026, aims to expand access to non-opioid pain treatments without mandating their preference.

Maddy summaryHB 21 would exempt the retail sale of food and food ingredients from Tennessee's state sales tax, directly affecting grocery stores, restaurants, and other food retailers. The bill modifies tax code references to remove existing exemptions for food sales and requires counties/municipalities to receive allocated funds based on exempt food sales, replacing prior K-12 education funding from a 0.5% tax rate. Key provisions include updating tax code sections to reflect the exemption and adjusting business requirements for food sales. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, after committee review.

Maddy summaryHB 39, the "Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act," requires all Tennessee public school districts and charter schools serving senior high schools (grades 9-12) to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups) in all women's/girls' bathrooms, locker rooms, and with school nurses. These products must be available at no cost exclusively for student use, and the law takes effect July 1, 2025. The bill amends Tennessee law to mandate this access, replacing prior language that only authorized (but did not require) such provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 96 authorizes Tennessee's Attorney General and Reporter to investigate and prosecute judges, court officials, or district attorneys when local prosecutors might face a conflict of interest. It specifically applies if there's evidence a judicial official may have broken state criminal law or if a nepotism violation is reported. The law creates a direct pathway for the Attorney General to handle these cases instead of relying on local prosecutors who cannot act impartially. This changes Tennessee's process for addressing potential criminal conduct by judicial officials.

Maddy summaryHB 415 requires Tennessee's state government (via the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, TACIR) to study and propose actions to protect the state's financial security and sovereignty. The study must address six key areas: ensuring reliable supply of essential goods during disruptions, reducing dependence on centralized systems (like energy and communications), creating backup plans for electronic transactions, reviewing contracts to avoid constitutional conflicts, and boosting local production of critical goods. TACIR must submit its recommendations to the legislature by September 1, 2025. This bill does not change current laws but mandates a state-level analysis of potential vulnerabilities in supply chains, finances, and infrastructure.