Rep. William Lamberth

Maddy summaryHJR 63 is a procedural resolution calling for a joint convention of Tennessee's General Assembly on February 10, 2025, to hear Governor Bill Lee's State of the State address. It authorizes the transmittal of the state budget document for fiscal year 2025-2026 by close of business on that date and requires filing of budget implementation legislation by February 14, 2025. This resolution sets specific deadlines for the budget process under existing Tennessee law, directly affecting the General Assembly's timeline for budget review. It does not create new policy but formalizes procedural steps for the annual budget cycle.

Maddy summaryHB 109 requires Tennessee state-chartered banks to obtain an annual financial audit by an independent accountant at least once every 15 months (unless covered by their holding company’s audit). The bank’s board must review and document the audit in meeting minutes, and the bank must submit the audit report to the Commissioner of Financial Institutions within 45 days. Banks must also immediately notify the Commissioner if they hire, change, or terminate an external auditor. This bill directly affects all Tennessee state-chartered banks by imposing new audit timing, reporting, and communication requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 101 repeals Tennessee's Unfair Milk Sales Act, which currently prohibits selling milk below cost. This bill removes a specific pricing restriction, allowing dairy producers, processors, and retailers to set milk prices without legal limits on selling below production costs. The change directly affects the state's dairy industry by eliminating an existing state law (TCA Title 53, Chapter 3, Part 2) that governed milk sales pricing. The bill does not introduce new rules but deletes a longstanding prohibition from state code.

Maddy summaryHB 1, the "Education Freedom Act of 2025," creates a scholarship program allowing Tennessee students to use state funds for private school tuition. It directly affects eligible K-12 students whose families meet income thresholds (up to 300% of free/reduced lunch guidelines) or qualify under specific categories like underserved students. The bill allocates 20,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year, prioritizing low-income students first, with future funding based on available appropriations and application demand. Scholarships require enrollment in state-approved private schools, and the Department of Education administers the program.

Maddy summaryHJR 37 is a procedural resolution that schedules the Tennessee General Assembly's 2025 session calendar. It directs the organizational session of the 114th General Assembly to adjourn on Thursday, January 16, 2025, and immediately convene the regular session on the same day. This resolution directly affects the legislative body by eliminating any gap between the organizational and regular sessions, streamlining the start of the lawmaking process. The bill does not create new policies or impact the public, but rather sets the official meeting schedule for the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 116 removes a requirement for Tennessee's Department of Revenue to report annually on the status of the state's computerized motor vehicle titling and registration system to the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee and House Transportation Committee. This procedural bill deletes specific sections (d) and (e) from Tennessee Code Annotated Section 55-4-132. The change directly affects the Department of Revenue by eliminating a reporting obligation to legislative committees. It does not alter vehicle registration rules or fees, only removing a mandated update process.

Maddy summaryHB 118 amends Tennessee law to extend the deadline for the Department of Revenue to submit annual reports on sales taxes collected from electronic nicotine delivery devices (e-cigarettes) from 2030 to 2031. This change directly affects the Department of Revenue, which must now submit these reports by 2031 instead of 2030, and the General Assembly, which receives these reports. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, Section 67-6-106, by updating the specified reporting deadline. It does not alter tax rates, consumer obligations, or the scope of the tax itself. The change is purely procedural, affecting administrative reporting timelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the Education Freedom Act of 2025, creates a new scholarship program in Tennessee that allows eligible public school students to attend private schools using state funds. The program is designed to give parents more choice in selecting educational institutions for their children by providing financial assistance to cover private school tuition. For the initial 2025-2026 school year, up to 20,000 scholarships will be awarded, with priority given to students from low-income households or those with specific eligibility statuses, while remaining slots are open to all eligible students. In subsequent years, the number of available scholarships will depend on the amount of money the state legislature appropriates, with a provision to increase the cap if demand exceeds 75% of the available funds. The Department of Education will administer the program, and recipients must enroll in a state-approved private school to receive the scholarship.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Class E felony charge for anyone who assaults a judge, lawyer, court employee, juror, witness, or party involved in a legal case while they are inside a courthouse. To be convicted, the person must intentionally cause physical harm or make extremely offensive physical contact, such as spitting, with someone they know is there because of their role in the judicial process. The law also updates existing rules about wiretapping and electronic surveillance within the state's criminal code. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how sentence reduction credits are applied to inmates convicted of certain offenses committed on or after July 1, 2024. Under the new rules, these credits can shorten the percentage of a sentence an inmate must serve before becoming eligible for parole, but they cannot change the final date when the sentence expires. For crimes committed before that date, credits continue to reduce the total time served, including the expiration date. The legislation also sets specific minimums for how much of a sentence must be served before parole eligibility for certain serious offenses.