Rep. Patsy Hazlewood

Maddy summaryThis enacted law, known as the Protect Tennessee Minors Act, requires websites in Tennessee that host at least 10% of content harmful to minors to verify the age of their visitors. The bill mandates that site owners use reasonable methods, such as checking government IDs or analyzing transactional data, to confirm users are at least 18 years old before they can access the restricted material. Violations of these age-verification rules or failure to properly retain anonymized data records are classified as Class C felonies. The law specifically defines harmful content as sexually explicit material lacking serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for long-term nursing home residents in Tennessee from $50 to $70, starting on January 1, 2025. The change allows residents to keep more of their income for personal expenses while calculating the amount available to pay for their care. Additionally, it requires the state health facilities commission to review and update rules that prevent vendors from diverting these funds for unnecessary goods or services. The updated guidelines must be submitted to state legislative committee chairs by January 15, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis law, known as the Chris Wright Act, increases penalties for repeat offenders in Tennessee by upgrading certain misdemeanor crimes to felonies. Specifically, a third or later conviction for domestic assault will be treated as a felony rather than a misdemeanor, while committing six or more qualifying misdemeanors within a twenty-year window will also result in felony charges. The bill defines "qualifying misdemeanors" to include offenses such as theft, assault, driving under the influence, and violations of protective orders, and it allows courts to count prior convictions from other states if the crimes are similar. To apply these stricter penalties, prosecutors must list the dates and details of previous offenses in the indictment, and the law takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Tennessee Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to guide the state's use of artificial intelligence within government agencies. The council consists of fifteen members, including state officials, legislative committee chairs, and individuals appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. Its primary role is to develop an action plan that promotes AI awareness among employees and establishes clear policies for acceptable AI usage. The council must submit an initial report within six months and a final comprehensive plan within twelve months of its first meeting. The new council is administratively attached to the Department of Finance and Administration and will be dissolved on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Annual Coverage Assessment Act of 2024, which requires hospitals licensed in Tennessee as of July 1, 2024, to pay a fee for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The assessment is calculated as 4.87% of each hospital's annual coverage assessment base, a specific financial metric used to determine the fee amount. The law officially takes effect on July 1, 2024, and amends existing state statutes to formalize this new payment requirement for covered healthcare facilities.

Maddy summaryThis law requires creditors suing individuals over personal debts to provide specific proof of the debt and their right to collect it before a default judgment is issued. When filing a lawsuit, the creditor must include copies of the original contract or account statements, along with details about any transfers of the debt and the names of previous holders. Additionally, the bill automatically protects up to $2,500 in a debtor's bank account from being seized to pay a judgment, unless the debtor has already claimed a different exemption for that account. These changes apply to consumer debt cases in general sessions courts and take effect on July 1, 2024.