Rep. William Lamberth

Maddy summaryHB 103 extends voluntary foster care services in Tennessee to young adults aged 20-23 who were in state custody at age 18 or were adopted from the state’s foster care system (or approved for subsidized guardianship) at age 16 or older. It requires these individuals to meet one of five criteria to continue receiving support: pursuing education, working at least 80 hours monthly, participating in job-training programs, or having a medical condition with treatment compliance. The bill also removes fees for driver’s licenses and ID cards for eligible youth. This change, effective July 1, 2025, directly affects former foster youth transitioning to adulthood by providing extended housing, education, and employment support.

Maddy summaryHB 1306 clarifies that Tennessee's definitions of housing facilities for economic development include affordable and workforce housing, explicitly expanding eligibility for industrial development corporation projects. It modifies housing definitions in multiple statutes to cover multifamily, single-family, condo, and townhome developments intended for low-to-moderate-income, elderly, or disabled residents. The bill also streamlines approval processes by allowing municipalities to amend economic impact plans without new public hearings, reducing administrative barriers for housing projects. This directly affects local governments, housing developers, and residents of affordable housing developments across Tennessee.

Maddy summaryHB 1328 makes Tennessee's criminal proceedings notification system permanent by removing the temporary "pilot program" language and eliminating its July 1, 2025, expiration date from state law. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 40-38-507 to establish this system as a permanent requirement for criminal court notifications. This change affects how courts deliver notifications to defendants and others involved in criminal cases, ensuring the system continues without needing future legislative renewal. The law took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature on May 2, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1329 reduces the administrative fee the Tennessee Department of Revenue charges on several local taxes - from 1.125% to 0.75%. This applies to business taxes, short-term rental occupancy taxes, coal severance taxes, and local option sales taxes. The fee is deducted before the remaining tax proceeds are sent to counties, cities, or towns. As a result, local governments will retain more tax revenue after administrative costs, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 114 amends Tennessee's STRONG Act to expand educational benefits for National Guard members. It explicitly covers mandatory fees (like parking, tech, and library fees) and master's degree program fees, in addition to 100% of in-state tuition. The bill increases the maximum credit hours for eligibility from 120 to 130 and requires reimbursement applications within 45 days of course completion. It also adds eligibility requirements, barring members suspended from federal tuition assistance due to academic issues. This law, effective May 2, 2025, directly affects Tennessee National Guard members pursuing higher education.

Maddy summaryHB 1332 amends Tennessee law for enhanced handgun carry permits. It prohibits applicants with a DUI conviction within the past five years from obtaining such permits. The bill also lowers the minimum age for these permits from 21 to 18, provided all other eligibility requirements are met. This law, effective May 2, 2025, directly affects applicants aged 18-20 and those with recent DUI convictions seeking enhanced permits.

Maddy summaryHB 683 creates a new "enhanced armed guard" certification in Tennessee for security guards with qualifying backgrounds. It directly affects security officers who have at least five years as a law enforcement officer (or four years in combat military service), requiring them to complete approved 16-hour training covering rifle deployment scenarios and secure storage. The bill allows certified guards to carry rifle-caliber weapons only when a legitimate threat exists, with strict rules on storage and annual background checks for renewal. This policy change modifies existing law to establish new standards for weapon-carrying security personnel under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 62, Chapter 35.

Maddy summaryHB 125 modifies Tennessee's local parks land acquisition grant program by reducing the required local match for projects in Appalachian Regional Commission-designated distressed or at-risk counties. Specifically, it changes the rule from requiring a 100% local match (equal to the grant amount) to a 25% local contribution for these counties. This applies to county or municipal governments receiving grants under TCA Section 67-4-409 for projects located in designated areas. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, easing financial burdens for local governments in economically challenged regions seeking park land acquisitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1304 requires health benefit plan issuers (insurance companies) to provide detailed claims experience reports within 30 days of a written request from a group health plan, plan sponsor, or plan administrator. These reports must include 36 months of data on monthly claims, premiums, covered employees (by tier), high-value claims ($10,000+), and pending claims. The bill also clarifies that commercial farm insurance coverage cannot affect how property is classified as "farm" or "agricultural" under state law and updates provisions on reinsurance, risk insurance, and policy readability. It directly affects insurers, large employers (with 25+ participants), and their health plans.

Maddy summaryHB 1342 amends Tennessee's Uniform Commercial Code to streamline disputes over financing statement filings. It requires filing offices (like county clerks) to forward contested financing statements and public officials' notarized affidavits to the Secretary of State's office within 3 business days when a secured party (typically a lender or business with a security interest) contests a filing. The bill also mandates that the winning party in such disputes provide the filing office with a copy of the administrative law judge's decision. This changes the process for handling disputes but does not alter the underlying commercial law or affect most consumers.