Rep. Vincent Dixie

Maddy summaryHB 2230 allows Tennessee to impose tolls on existing border highways (where Tennessee meets another state) that add new travel lanes or convert HOV lanes to toll lanes after July 1, 2026. It amends state law to explicitly include "toll" as a permissible fee type for these specific border facilities within the state highway or interstate system. The bill directly affects drivers using these upgraded border crossings and the state transportation department, which gains expanded authority to collect tolls on those designated facilities. The policy change takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies only to facilities meeting the specified lane modification criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1545 would have allowed certain felony offenders in Tennessee to apply to seal their criminal records after completing all sentencing requirements and avoiding new convictions for five years. Eligible individuals (excluding those convicted of specific violent or serious offenses listed in the bill) would have paid a $500 fee to petition courts, with records sealed from public access except for limited uses by law enforcement, the Department of Health, and peace officer training agencies. The bill applied only to 43 specified offenses, such as theft, fraud, vandalism, and non-violent property crimes - not all felonies. However, the bill was withdrawn on February 2, 2026, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 1539 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly inhale, ingest, use, or possess nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") or amyl nitrite ("poppers"), except for medical use, food service (as a propellant), manufacturing, or use by adults 21+ for personal or automotive purposes. The bill includes specific exceptions, such as prescriptions from medical professionals and food industry use, but labels or added flavors create a presumption against these exceptions. Businesses selling these substances face penalties, including 30-day license suspensions for first violations and revocation for second offenses. The law would take effect July 1, 2026, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 721 makes assault against school employees a Class E felony when it occurs during their official duties at specific locations: school grounds, school-sponsored activities, school-provided transportation, or official school bus stops. It directly affects K-12 school employees (teachers, staff, and administrators) in both public and private schools across Tennessee. The bill defines "educational employee" broadly to cover all staff working in grades K-12, raising the legal penalty for harming them while they perform job-related tasks. This policy change, effective July 1, 2025, elevates assault offenses from lower-level charges to felony status under these defined circumstances.

Maddy summaryHB 568, introduced by Representative Dixie, would officially designate Nashville as Tennessee's "hot chicken capital" by amending Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4. The bill creates a new statutory section (4-1-350) to formally recognize Nashville's cultural association with hot chicken, a local culinary specialty. This is a symbolic designation with no new regulations, funding, or direct impact on residents, businesses, or state operations. The bill remains pending in committee review and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryHB 538 requires Tennessee county election commissions to establish uniform daily operating hours for all early voting polling places within a county. This means every early voting location in a county must open and close at the same time each day, though hours can vary between different days (e.g., Monday hours may differ from Tuesday hours). The bill directly affects county election commissions, which would implement these scheduling rules, and early voters who use these locations. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 2 and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1033 (Tennessee) creates a legal defense for businesses that experience a data breach, provided they maintained a cybersecurity program meeting specific standards at the time of the breach. It applies to "covered entities" - businesses handling personal information, health data, or sensitive restricted information - requiring them to have written security protocols aligned with industry frameworks (like NIST). If compliant, these entities can use this defense against lawsuits alleging negligence in data security, excluding breaches from law enforcement requests or authorized employee transmissions. The bill does not change breach notification rules but offers legal protection for businesses meeting its cybersecurity criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1030, the "Parole Relief and Opportunity Act," expands the definition of hardship for parolees who cannot afford supervision costs due to basic needs like food and housing, or lack of employment despite reasonable efforts. It requires the Department of Correction to waive certain fees (including supervision contributions) for parolees meeting this new hardship standard, as defined in Section 40-28-202(a)(8). The bill also prevents parole revocation for two months of non-payment if a parolee demonstrates hardship and requests reevaluation, waiving unpaid contributions until financial circumstances improve. This directly affects parolees struggling with poverty or family responsibilities who previously faced revocation for unpaid fees.

Maddy summaryHB 1029 amends Tennessee law to require correctional departments to address housing services during mandatory pre-release orientation for inmates. The bill changes the existing requirement from covering "education, employment" to including "housing, employment" as essential topics. This policy directly affects inmates transitioning from confinement by ensuring they receive information about housing resources before release. The change applies to Section 40-35-505 of Tennessee Code Annotated, which governs inmate orientation protocols. The bill does not alter other aspects of correctional services or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 720 changes sentencing rules for people convicted of first-degree murder after July 1, 1995, who receive life sentences. It reduces the required service time before eligibility for parole from 100% of 60 years (minus sentence credits) to 60% of 60 years (minus credits), while setting a minimum service period: 25 years if the offender was 25 or younger at the crime, or 30 years if 26 or older. This directly affects individuals sentenced to life imprisonment for first-degree murder under these conditions. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after July 1, 1995.