Rep. Justin Jones

Maddy summaryHJR 210 designates March 2-6, 2025, as "Read Across America Week" in Tennessee to align with the national event promoted by the National Education Association. The resolution encourages Tennesseans - particularly children, families, educators, and librarians - to participate in reading activities and community events that foster literacy and a lifelong love of reading. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or impose requirements, but serves as a symbolic recognition of the importance of literacy.

Maddy summaryHJR 576 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Maya Turner, a Tennessee wood carver and visual artist, for her contributions to the arts. It recognizes her two-decade career creating intricate wood carvings painted in vibrant colors, which reflect her personal experiences living with epilepsy and celebrate often-marginalized cultures. The resolution specifically highlights her work featured at national events like the Essence Festival and Black Girl Art Show, and her art's role in fostering cultural understanding. As a symbolic gesture with no binding policy impact, it formally commends Turner without creating new laws or affecting any government programs.

Maddy summaryHB 433 amends Tennessee's unlawful exposure law to specifically criminalize distributing digitally altered intimate images of identifiable people. The bill directly affects individuals who create or share such images using digital tools like AI or photo editing software, with intent to cause emotional distress. Key provisions expand the offense to cover images "created or modified by means of a computer software program, artificial intelligence application, or other digital editing tools" when shared without consent. This makes it illegal to distribute these digitally manipulated images under circumstances where privacy was expected. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1261 prohibits Tennessee farm owners or operators from confining breeding pigs (6+ months old or pregnant) or calves raised for veal in enclosures that prevent basic movements (lying down, standing, turning) or below minimum space requirements: 24 square feet per breeding pig or 43 square feet per veal calf. Exceptions include medical care, exhibitions, transportation, and short-term husbandry periods (max 6 hours/day or 24 hours/month). Violations are Class B misdemeanors with fines of $250-$1,000 per animal, effective July 1, 2030. The bill applies directly to commercial farms producing pork and veal, not to all livestock operations.

Maddy summaryTennessee's HJR 224 is a ceremonial resolution formally recognizing March 2-6, 2025, as "Read Across America Week" in the state. It commemorates the national event organized by the National Education Association, which promotes literacy through community reading activities. The resolution does not create new programs, change funding, or affect specific groups - it solely expresses state support for the existing week-long celebration of reading. This symbolic recognition aligns with Tennessee’s commitment to fostering literacy, as noted in the resolution’s preamble.

Maddy summaryHB 431, the "CEO Pay Disparity Tax Act," imposes an additional 0.1% surcharge on the existing 6.5% excise tax for Tennessee-based companies where the top executive earns at least 100 times more than the median pay of all employees. This applies to companies conducting business in Tennessee, targeting those with extreme pay gaps between executives and typical workers. The surcharge is calculated on the company’s net earnings from the previous fiscal year. The law would take effect for tax years beginning July 1, 2025, and requires the state department to create implementing rules.

Maddy summaryHB 715, the "Freedom to Read Act," prohibits Tennessee public libraries (including school and university libraries) from banning or restricting access to books or materials solely based on their viewpoint or the ideas they express. Exceptions are allowed for practical reasons (like damaged books), age-appropriate content decisions, or legal compliance. Libraries must adopt policies for handling material challenges and report all challenges to the state library coordinator. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not apply to specialized libraries like law or medical collections.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Nashville's Bad Idea restaurant, recognized by The New York Times and USA TODAY as one of the nation's top dining establishments in 2024, for its culinary excellence and contribution to Tennessee's cultural landscape. It specifically commends owner Alex Burch and chef Colby Rasavong for their innovative Lao-inspired menu and the restaurant's unique renovation of a historic church space. The resolution is purely ceremonial, offering no new policies or financial impact. It was officially adopted by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by the Governor in March 2025.

Maddy summaryHJR 237 is a symbolic resolution recognizing Vivian Lee Battle Sims, a 96-year-old retired Giles County educator and first African-American female assistant principal and principal in her district. It commends her 46-year career in education and her leadership in championing the "Resurrection of Valor" statue in Pulaski, which honors U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) soldiers and was partially funded by her with $82,000 of her own money. The resolution has no legal effect - it serves solely as a formal expression of appreciation from the Tennessee General Assembly for her community service and historical advocacy.

Maddy summaryHB 681, the "Healthy Soil Act," creates a state program within Tennessee's Department of Agriculture to support farming and land management practices that improve soil health. The bill establishes a "Healthy Soil Program" offering voluntary soil assessments, education, and grants to help farmers and ranchers adopt methods like cover cropping, no-till farming, compost application, and integrated livestock systems. It defines "healthy soil" as soil that boosts organic matter, carbon content, and water retention while providing technical assistance through local districts and USDA partners. The program aims to enhance soil productivity, profitability, and environmental benefits for agricultural landowners across Tennessee.