Rep. Johnny Garrett

Maddy summaryHB 2219 requires local governments in Tennessee to comply with court orders that address "unlawful sanctuary policies" within 120 days of the court issuing the order. It directly affects cities and counties that have adopted policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The bill amends specific sections of Tennessee law (notably TCA 7-68-104) to remove a previous 90-day deadline, instead establishing the 120-day compliance window. This changes the timeframe local governments must follow when courts rule such policies violate state law. The bill focuses solely on the procedural requirement for local governments to align with court decisions, without altering immigration enforcement standards.

Maddy summaryHB 819 removes a regulatory requirement for acute care hospitals in Tennessee. It exempts these hospitals - defined as facilities treating patients with an average stay of 25 days or less - from needing state approval (a "certificate of need") to open or operate new facilities or expand services. The exemption takes effect on July 1, 2028, and applies to all acute care hospitals under Tennessee law. This change directly affects hospital operators by reducing one layer of state oversight for their facility planning.

Maddy summaryHB 2450 requires the Tennessee Department of Transportation to include five specific details in its annual report to the General Assembly about projects funded by the transportation modernization fund. These details are the estimated total project cost, current development phase, how the project will be built or contracted, the expected completion date, and a location map or description showing where the project fits within transportation corridors. The bill directly affects the Department of Transportation (which must add this reporting) and lawmakers (who receive the updated reports). This change aims to provide clearer, more detailed information about transportation projects without altering funding or project execution.

Maddy summaryHB 2452 allows courts to clear certain violent criminal records from public view after a person receives a pardon. It directly affects individuals who were pardoned for violent offenses that previously could not be expunged under Tennessee law. The bill requires courts to weigh public safety and consider whether the offense was violent (including murder, aggravated kidnapping, or sexual offenses involving minors), along with other factors from both the petitioner and prosecutors. This changes prior rules that blocked expungement of violent offenses even after a pardon. The bill modifies Tennessee Code Annotated Title 40 to enable this process while maintaining safeguards for public safety.

Maddy summaryHB 2451 clarifies that Tennessee's Uniform Partition Heirs Property Act does not apply when land is sold from an estate to pay debts, affecting estate administrators and property sellers. It revises how courts calculate a decedent's gross estate for determining a surviving spouse's elective share (their legal right to claim a portion of the estate), requiring courts to use federal estate tax rules (26 U.S.C. § 2031(a)) but excluding assets that wouldn't count toward state inheritance tax under prior law. The bill also specifies that life estates or trusts benefiting a surviving spouse must be valued using actuarial methods. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2449 requires Tennessee public libraries (operated by counties, cities, or towns) to create a formal process allowing any legal resident of the library's county to request removal, relocation, or reclassification of library materials. The policy must include a written application form, require the library board to respond within 90 days, and specify four possible outcomes (keep item as-is, move/reclassify, remove item, or delay response). It limits requests to one item per form, sets a 30-month validity for decisions, and allows libraries to deny requests deemed disruptive. The bill applies to all physical and digital items (books, e-books, games, etc.) in library collections but excludes items borrowed through interlibrary loans.

Maddy summaryHB 2453 removes a requirement that businesses provide written assurances of compliance with Tennessee's Consumer Protection Act of 1977, eliminating the need to file these assurances with Davidson County courts. The bill adds new prohibitions against selling radar-jamming devices or making false claims about paying traffic citations for such devices. It also clarifies the attorney general's authority in consumer protection lawsuits and updates references to related laws. This bill directly affects businesses selling consumer goods or services in Tennessee, particularly those in the automotive safety equipment sector, with key changes taking effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2454 amends Tennessee's trust and estate laws (Titles 32, 35, and 67) to make several key changes affecting trust beneficiaries, trustees, and charitable organizations. It allows confidential trust information in court filings to be redacted or filed under seal without a prior court order, enhancing privacy for trust matters. The bill also increases the threshold for certain trust provisions from $100,000 to $250,000 and updates terminology to replace "agreement of qualified beneficiaries" with "nonjudicial settlement agreement" throughout the code. Additionally, it grants charitable organizations specific rights similar to individual beneficiaries regarding trust notices and participation in settlements. These changes streamline procedures and clarify rights for those involved in trust administration.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 149 (HR 149) is a formal statement condemning Nashville Electric Service's (NES) response to the January 2026 ice storm, which caused widespread, prolonged power outages affecting tens of thousands of customers across multiple counties. The resolution specifically criticizes NES for inadequate communication, inaccurate outage estimates, and poor leadership during the crisis, which worsened hardships for vulnerable residents and businesses. It urges NES's Board of Directors to review the storm response, consider replacing the CEO if needed, and develop a public corrective action plan focused on grid improvements and better communication. This resolution does not create new laws but formally expresses the Tennessee House's disapproval and calls for NES leadership accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 2036 prohibits individuals who hold dual citizenship or are not natural-born U.S. citizens from qualifying as candidates in Tennessee's primary elections for federal office (such as U.S. Congress or presidency). The bill defines "dual citizenship" as holding U.S. and foreign citizenship simultaneously and "natural-born citizen" as someone born in the U.S. or born abroad to U.S. citizen parents. It directly affects candidates seeking federal office through Tennessee primaries by imposing these citizenship requirements for qualification. The law would take effect upon becoming law, changing eligibility rules for state primary elections.