Rep. Ryan Williams

Maddy summaryHB 987 amends Tennessee's tobacco tax code to define heated tobacco products (like devices that heat tobacco without combustion) as "cigarettes" for tax purposes. It sets a specific tax rate of 0.15 cents per heated tobacco cigarette, separate from the standard 3-cent tax on regular cigarettes. This bill directly affects manufacturers and retailers of heated tobacco products by requiring them to pay this lower tax rate instead of the standard cigarette tax. The change would apply to products meeting the new definition, such as certain electronic nicotine delivery systems.

Maddy summaryHB 526 changes Tennessee's Business Tax Act to require that business tax returns be due no sooner than 60 calendar days after the end of the tax period, instead of the current two-month standard. This applies specifically when the commissioner of revenue adjusts a business's tax period to match their fiscal year. The bill directly affects Tennessee businesses that file annual or periodic business tax returns by standardizing the filing deadline to a clear 60-day window. The amendment takes effect July 1, 2025, with no change to the overall filing timeline (as 60 days approximates two months).

Maddy summaryHB 1173 allows Tennessee local governments to directly purchase goods and services from vendors already contracted under federal General Services Administration (GSA) schedule agreements, without requiring competitive bids or quotations. It requires these purchases to occur at the vendor’s current GSA schedule price, ensuring costs remain aligned with federal terms. The bill specifically applies to local governments (like cities or counties) seeking to buy items covered under GSA contracts, such as office supplies, equipment, or services. This change streamlines procurement for eligible items while maintaining price transparency through federal pricing.

Maddy summaryHJR 389 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Velma Christine Tidwell Bates for celebrating her 100th birthday on March 22, 2025. The resolution formally recognizes her life milestones, including her birth in Lawrence County, marriage, wartime work at Firestone Tire during WWII, and her role as a family matriarch. It does not create new laws or policies but serves as a non-binding tribute from Tennessee's General Assembly. The resolution was passed unanimously by both chambers and signed by the Governor in March 2025. This type of resolution directly affects only Velma Bates, celebrating her personal achievement.

Maddy summaryHB 651 prohibits health insurance companies and TennCare managed care organizations (MCOs) from including "all-products clauses" in contracts with healthcare providers. These clauses would force providers (like doctors, nurses, and physician assistants) to join multiple networks or offer services under other plans from the same insurer as a condition of participation. The bill makes such clauses void and imposes a $10,000 civil penalty per violation on insurers. It requires the insurance commissioner to create rules by July 2026 to enforce this prohibition, directly affecting provider contracts and network access.

Maddy summaryHB 945 requires Tennessee's health commissioner to submit a report to specific legislative committees by July 1, 2025, detailing current standards and policies for assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the state. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections (Titles 4, 29, 36, 63, and 68) to establish this reporting requirement. It does not change existing ART regulations but mandates a formal update to lawmakers on current practices. This procedural bill directly affects the health commissioner's duties and provides legislative committees with information about ART policies.

Maddy summaryHB 1172 requires Tennessee's district attorneys general conference to create an annual report detailing all convictions under the Terrorism Prevention and Response Act of 2002 from the previous year. The report must be submitted to the Tennessee General Assembly by January 15 each year, starting in 2026. This procedural bill affects district attorneys (who compile the data) and the General Assembly (which receives the report), with no changes to the underlying terrorism law. It establishes a regular reporting mechanism to track how the 2002 terrorism statute is applied in court.

Maddy summaryHB 1174 restructures Tennessee's Board of Water Quality, Oil and Gas, vacating current members effective July 1, 2025, and creating a new 12-member board. The board will include three current agency heads (environment, health, agriculture) and nine citizen members appointed by the governor to represent specific interests: public-at-large, environmental groups, counties, agriculture, municipalities, automotive industry, manufacturing, oil/gas industry, and oil/gas property owners. Each citizen member must meet specific qualifications (e.g., manufacturing member needs engineering experience and wastewater management expertise), and appointments must reflect state diversity. This bill directly affects the board's composition, the governor's appointment process, and the groups providing nominee lists for the new positions.

Maddy summaryThis Tennessee bill updates the laws governing physician assistants and nurses by clarifying definitions and expanding the scope of services physician assistants can provide. It establishes new categories for physician assistants, including a specific designation for orthopedic specialists, and defines what constitutes a formal working relationship with a supervising doctor. Under the new rules, physician assistants are authorized to perform specific minor medical procedures and assist with more complex surgeries, provided they have proper credentials and the supervising physician is available. The legislation also introduces a pathway for "endorsed" physician assistants who can practice without strict adherence to pre-written protocols, relying instead on ongoing collaboration and consultation with their supervising physicians.

Maddy summaryHB 1600 prohibits individuals under 25 from purchasing or possessing firearms if they were previously adjudicated delinquent for specific serious offenses committed after turning 14. These offenses include aggravated assault, certain violent crimes against first responders, animal cruelty, threats of mass violence, and other firearm-related violations. The law requires juvenile courts to inform defendants of this firearm restriction before accepting a guilty plea and mandates that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation receive notice of such adjudications to conduct background checks. Additionally, the bill makes it a misdemeanor for anyone under 25 with this specific juvenile record to possess a firearm and bars licensed dealers from selling firearms to them.