Rep. Mark Cochran

Maddy summaryHJR 577 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Coach Johnny Morgan upon his retirement from coaching girls' basketball at Central High School in McMinn County, Tennessee. It recognizes his 47-year career, including 1,107 wins, 17 state tournament appearances, and induction into the TSSAA Hall of Fame. The resolution formally commends his contributions to Tennessee high school athletics but does not create new laws or affect any policies. It was passed by both chambers and signed by the Governor on April 24, 2025, as a symbolic tribute.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding resolution urges all Tennessee public and private universities to adopt principles of institutional neutrality, free expression, civil discourse, and campus safety that respect diverse viewpoints. It references post-October 7 campus disruptions as context but does not mandate policy changes - only encourages institutions to formally adopt these values in their governing documents, citing Vanderbilt University as an example that already does so. The resolution was passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by the Governor in April 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 546 amends Tennessee's procurement law to allow local governments and school districts to form joint purchasing agreements for facility maintenance. It explicitly permits cooperative buying of materials, labor, and services used for repairing, replacing parts, or operating existing buildings and grounds owned by schools or local agencies. Previously, such maintenance-related purchases were excluded from cooperative agreements under the law. The change took effect March 28, 2025, enabling cost savings through shared procurement for routine facility upkeep.

Maddy summaryHB 1272 creates new traffic safety rules for vehicles under 10,000 pounds. It requires tire installers (both businesses and individuals) to properly adjust headlights when installing larger tires than the original equipment, and prohibits installing oversized tires that cause bumpers or frames to exceed height limits. Violations of either rule are Class B misdemeanors punishable by a $250 fine. The law directly affects tire installation businesses and anyone installing larger tires on passenger vehicles or light trucks.

Maddy summaryHB 549, if passed, would create the "Tennessee Critical Infrastructure Protection Act" to restrict foreign adversaries from accessing Tennessee's critical infrastructure. The bill prohibits companies and government entities from contracting with foreign adversaries (countries listed under 15 CFR 791.4) for critical infrastructure projects that would allow remote access or control of systems like power grids, water supplies, telecom networks, or transportation systems. Exceptions are permitted only if no reasonable alternatives exist, the contract is pre-approved by the Department of Finance and Administration, and the risk of not contracting outweighs the security threat. Companies must also register with the Department of Commerce and Insurance, conduct background checks on employees with infrastructure access, and ban foreign nationals from adversary nations from such roles.

Maddy summaryHB 551 urges Tennessee's Human Rights Commission to study whether healthcare providers face discrimination for declining services based on religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. The bill requires the Commission to include its findings and recommendations in annual reports to the legislature. It directly affects healthcare providers (such as doctors or nurses) who may refuse specific services like abortion or contraception due to personal beliefs. The bill does not change existing laws but mandates a formal study of potential discrimination against such providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Tennessee municipalities that collect hotel occupancy taxes to submit annual reports detailing how the revenue is spent on tourism and development. It mandates that the state comptroller audit these expenditures and forces any municipality found misusing funds to repay the incorrect amount from its general budget. Additionally, the legislation prevents local governments from using this specific tax revenue for general operations and caps the total hotel occupancy tax rate at eight percent starting in 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Tennessee law declares that goods produced entirely within the state and sold only to other Tennessees are not subject to federal regulation under Congress's commerce power. The bill defines these items as products grown, harvested, or manufactured in Tennessee using only local raw materials that never leave the state's borders. By stating that such intrastate commerce falls under state authority rather than federal oversight, the legislation aims to limit the reach of federal laws over purely local business activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-term limit for members of the Athens City Council, starting with the 2024 and 2026 elections, while excluding any mid-term appointed terms from that count. It also grants the mayor the authority to assume emergency management powers during crises, aligning those powers with state law. Additionally, the legislation updates official city titles by replacing the gendered term "councilman" with the gender-neutral "councilperson." Finally, the bill requires a two-thirds vote by the Athens City Council to take effect, ensuring local approval before the changes are implemented.