Rep. Rick Scarbrough

Maddy summaryHB 2405 requires Tennessee state and local governments to provide fully paid health insurance coverage to the immediate families (spouses and dependent children) of law enforcement officers killed or suffering catastrophic injuries in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2020. The bill removes the previous two-year limit on this coverage and expands eligibility to include officers with qualifying catastrophic injuries, defined as permanent impairments meeting specific medical criteria (e.g., paralysis, severe burns, or brain/spinal cord injuries). It mandates that employers pay all premiums for these families and requires the state to reimburse local governments for the costs. This policy directly affects law enforcement officers' families and state/local government budgets, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2406 would amend Tennessee's property tax law to set a 400-acre maximum limit for tax exemptions on land owned by certain nonprofit entities operating qualifying tourist resorts. Specifically, it targets nonprofits that run "premier type tourist resorts" as defined in state law. The bill changes the existing exemption rule to ensure these organizations cannot claim tax breaks for more than 400 acres of property. This policy change directly affects nonprofit operators of large-scale tourist resorts seeking property tax exemptions under current law. The bill is still in committee review and has not become law.

Maddy summaryHJR 1031 is a procedural resolution confirming Dr. Clay R. Good's appointment to the Tennessee Public Utility Commission for a term ending June 30, 2032. It directly affects Dr. Good by formally ratifying his appointment, as required by Tennessee law (TCA § 65-1-101(d)). The resolution contains no policy changes - it solely follows the statutory process for confirming commission appointments through a joint resolution of the General Assembly. This is a routine confirmation, not a substantive legislative action.

Maddy summaryHB 1775 requires Tennessee health plans and insurers to cover two specific cancer-related services without out-of-pocket costs: genetic testing for inherited cancer risks (for individuals with personal or family cancer history, as recommended by a doctor) and evidence-based cancer imaging (for high-risk individuals per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines). This applies to all health plans issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects insurers by mandating coverage and patients with cancer risk factors by removing cost barriers to these screenings. It does not alter existing health savings account rules but ensures these preventive services are fully covered under the plan.

Maddy summaryHB 2403 requires organizations receiving funds from Tennessee's child abuse prevention programs - including the child abuse fund, child advocacy centers fund, CASA fund, and child abuse prevention fund - to report annually to both the Senate Speaker and House Speaker. These reports must detail how the funds were used, describe collaborative efforts to address child abuse issues, and include recommendations for improving the state's child abuse prevention and response system. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 33-13-530(j) and 39-13-530(j) to add the legislative leaders as required recipients of these reports. This procedural change focuses on increasing transparency for key legislative figures regarding the use of child abuse prevention funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1869 changes the annual report submission deadline for managed care organizations participating in Tennessee's TennCare program from March 1 to February 1. This procedural adjustment affects all such organizations required to submit reports to the TennCare bureau under Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 1. The bill does not alter report content or requirements, only the submission date. It amends Section 71-5-154(a) of state law to implement this change.

Maddy summaryHB 371 requires individuals convicted of Class A or Class B misdemeanors in Tennessee to complete a behavioral training course as part of their sentencing. Offenders must pay for the course (capped at $100), provide proof of completion to the court within a court-specified timeframe, and face potential jail time (up to 10 days) for failing to comply. The course must be accessible online, offered in multiple languages, include human interaction, and be provided by certified vendors meeting specific standards. This law affects misdemeanor offenders directly and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 370 expands Tennessee's harassment law to include in-person communication as a criminal offense, not just written, phone, or electronic contact. The bill amends state law to define "communicate" broadly, covering physical presence interactions (like shouting or gestures face-to-face), verbal exchanges, and digital messages. This change directly affects individuals who engage in harassment through direct physical interactions, making such conduct punishable under existing harassment statutes. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, updating how harassment is legally defined without altering penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 418 amends Tennessee law to allow the state comptroller of the treasury to publish certain survey data that was previously confidential. Specifically, it permits the comptroller to share aggregated survey results and responses that cannot identify individual participants, while keeping all other sensitive details protected. This change directly affects the comptroller’s office, which can now make anonymized survey data publicly available, and individuals who provide survey responses. The bill does not apply to surveys conducted by the Office of Open Records Counsel.

Maddy summaryHB 672 amends Tennessee law to require that when an industrial development corporation dissolves, its land must be transferred to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity focused on promoting industrial development and new nuclear energy. This change updates the disposition rules for dissolved corporations' land, directly affecting industrial development corporations and the nonprofits that will receive the property. The bill specifies that the recipient nonprofit must have "main purpose" tied to industrial and nuclear development, ensuring land continues supporting these sectors. The amendment takes effect upon becoming law.