Maddy summaryHB 1954 would allow healthcare providers working with correctional facilities to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment, expanding current rules. It specifically modifies Tennessee law to include providers subcontracted through healthcare vendors contracted with the Department of Correction or county/municipal jails, provided other specified criteria are met. The bill amends Sections 53-11-311 and 63 of Tennessee Code to enable this expanded access within correctional healthcare settings. The bill is currently in committee review (as of February 2026) and has not yet become law. It directly affects correctional healthcare providers and incarcerated individuals receiving opioid treatment in Tennessee facilities.
Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Joint Resolution that formally recognizes William "Bill" F. Knowles, the Hamilton County Clerk, on the occasion of his retirement. The resolution honors his 52 years of public service, during which he implemented significant modernization initiatives such as digitizing county records, enabling online vehicle renewals, and installing self-service kiosks for residents. It highlights his leadership in improving public access to services and generating additional revenue through fleet registration programs. The measure serves as a ceremonial tribute rather than establishing new policy requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 465 extends the time for health care professionals to challenge licensing denials from 30 to 60 business days. It directly affects individuals, applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or registrants in health-related fields who receive a notice from a licensing authority denying an application or renewal due to a prior criminal conviction. The bill amends Tennessee law (Titles 39, 40, 63, and 68) to change the filing deadline for petitions in Davidson County chancery court. This change takes effect on July 1, 2025, providing more time to address licensing decisions.
Maddy summaryHB 169 requires health benefit plans in Tennessee that cover prescription contraceptives to provide a 12-month refill option for insured individuals, starting January 1, 2026. This applies to all health insurance plans (including TennCare and CoverKids programs) that renew or issue coverage after that date, directly affecting people with such plans who use contraceptives. The bill amends Tennessee law to define "health benefit plan" broadly and specifies that contraceptive coverage must include this extended refill option. It does not change existing contraceptive coverage requirements but adds a specific provision for 12-month supplies. The effective date was updated from 2024 to 2026 in the bill.
Maddy summaryThis resolution formally honors East Ridge City Manager J. Scott Miller upon his retirement after serving from 2022-2026. It recognizes his achievements, including securing over $13 million in grant funding for public safety, infrastructure, and community projects during his tenure. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy impact and serves solely as a tribute to his public service.
Maddy summaryHB 1955 requires Tennessee's Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to publish an annual report by October 1, 2026, detailing alleged violations by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) related to delayed reimbursements to pharmacies. The report must include the total number of reported violations, findings from investigations, and penalties imposed for confirmed violations under existing law (TCA §56-7-3124). This directly affects PBMs operating in Tennessee, as they must comply with reimbursement timelines, and pharmacies that may receive delayed payments. The bill mandates transparency by documenting enforcement actions without creating new penalties. The report will be submitted to the General Assembly and made publicly available.
Maddy summaryHB 1953 modifies Tennessee's legal standards for violations of protective or restraining orders. It removes two specific requirements: that the person violating the order must have had a prior court hearing opportunity, and that the court must have made detailed factual findings about the violation in the original order. This change simplifies the legal process for prosecuting violations, directly affecting individuals accused of breaching such orders and the courts enforcing them. The bill amends Tennessee Code sections 39-13-113 and 39-17-1316, taking effect July 1, 2026. It focuses on procedural adjustments to enforcement, not substantive policy changes.
Maddy summaryHB 1647, known as "Matthew Davenport's Law," creates new criminal penalties for Kratom: possessing it becomes a Class D felony, while manufacturing, delivering, or selling it becomes a Class B felony (Class A if sold to a minor). The bill also requires medical examiners to test for Kratom in overdose deaths and physicians to include Kratom in toxicology tests for suspected overdoses or neonatal abstinence syndrome. Additionally, it mandates adding Kratom to the definition of a drug for workers' compensation claims, requiring the labor commissioner to update regulations. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 1650 requires the Tennessee Board of Dentistry to submit its annual report of activities by February 1 each year to both the governor and the Tennessee General Assembly, rather than only to the governor as previously required. The bill also mandates that copies of the report be made publicly available. This change, which amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Section 63-5-106, directly affects the Board of Dentistry by altering its reporting obligations. The policy shift aims to increase legislative oversight by ensuring the General Assembly receives the report directly.
Maddy summaryHB 1439 replaces Ridgeside's entire municipal charter, which had been amended multiple times since 1931, with a new charter document. It updates the city's corporate name, boundaries (correcting a reference to a church in the boundary description), and explicitly lists 13 core powers the city retains, such as taxing, borrowing, issuing bonds, and exercising eminent domain. The bill directly affects Ridgeside's local government structure and governance authority. As a procedural charter amendment (not a new policy), it does not change existing city services or create new obligations, but formalizes the city's legal framework under current state law. The bill was signed into law on June 4, 2025.