Rep. Becky Jo Alexander

Maddy summaryHB 2220 reconstitutes Tennessee's Arts Commission, replacing its current structure with a 15-member body appointed to represent all arts fields and geographic regions. It requires the governor to appoint nine members (one per congressional district), and legislative leaders to appoint one member per grand division (eastern, middle, western). Initial terms are staggered (3-5 years) to avoid all members serving full terms simultaneously, with subsequent appointments set at five-year terms. Members receive no salary but are reimbursed for necessary expenses related to their duties, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2647 modifies governance rules for the Town of Jonesborough. It allows the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to elect a mayor from among the aldermen to fill vacancies, replaces the requirement for the Town Recorder to be bonded with an option to carry liability insurance, and updates election schedules to align with Washington County general elections held in August. The bill specifies mayoral terms will be two years with elections in August, while alderman terms will be four years with elections every four years. It also clarifies that no person can hold both mayor and alderman positions simultaneously, requiring aldermen who want to run for mayor to resign their current position first. This bill requires approval by a two-thirds vote of Jonesborough's legislative body to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 1956 expands protections for cancer patients by removing restrictions on when health insurance plans must cover approved cancer treatments without requiring "step therapy." The bill changes Tennessee law to prohibit health benefit plans from forcing patients to try less expensive treatments first for *any* cancer diagnosis (previously limited to stage 4 advanced metastatic or blood cancers). This directly affects all health insurance plans covering cancer treatment and enrollees diagnosed with cancer, ensuring coverage for approved drugs without prior step therapy requirements. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, for new or renewed policies.

Maddy summaryHB 2129 modifies Tennessee's reporting requirements for pre-kindergarten programs by changing the frequency from annual to triennial (every three years). The bill directs the Department of Education's Office of Early Learning to submit a detailed report to the governor and legislature every three years, including data on provider locations, program types, and the number of at-risk children served. The report must also be published on the department's website. This change directly affects the Department of Education's Office of Early Learning, altering its administrative reporting obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 1034 would make non-compete clauses unenforceable for Tennessee employees and contractors after their employment or contract ends. The bill removes an existing exception that previously allowed some restrictions to be enforced, effectively banning all post-termination professional restrictions in contracts. This change applies to contracts entered into or amended on or after July 1, 2025, affecting workers in professions covered by Tennessee’s labor laws. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee Code (Titles 50, 63, and 68) to eliminate references to the former exception.

Maddy summaryHJR 1428 is a House Joint Resolution that formally honors and congratulates Robert 'Bob' Batson on his retirement from his role as executive director of the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association. The bill recognizes his thirty-five years of leadership in the funeral service profession and his extensive work assisting families during major disasters, including deployments to the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina, and Haiti. This resolution serves as a commemorative document to acknowledge his contributions to public service and the funeral industry, with no changes to laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1254 requires state or local governments to provide law enforcement officers with written notice of reasons for being placed on a "Brady list" (a list of officers with unresolved concerns) before final placement. It gives officers at least 10 business days to respond to the allegations before the list placement becomes final. The bill directly affects law enforcement officers in Tennessee and amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 38, Chapter 8, to establish this procedural safeguard.

Maddy summaryHB 2127 requires Tennessee courts to give the highest weight to credible evidence of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence when determining child custody. It applies this standard equally to abuse affecting any household member, including siblings, step-siblings, or foster siblings. The bill also creates a presumption that placing a child with a parent found to have committed such abuse is not in the child's best interest, requiring courts to provide written justification if they override this presumption. This law directly affects custody decisions in cases involving abuse allegations, amending Tennessee Code Sections 36-6-106 and 36-6-406.

Maddy summaryHB 2126 requires property owners to display clear signage defining specific areas where driving, parking, or operating a motor vehicle is prohibited. This amendment to Tennessee's trespassing law (TCA Title 39) would directly affect property owners, businesses, or communities seeking to enforce vehicle access restrictions. The key provision mandates that any posted sign must explicitly outline the prohibited zone to legally enable prosecution for vehicle trespass. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, but does not change penalties for violations - only the requirement for clear signage.

Maddy summaryHB 2475 prohibits private schools participating in Tennessee's education account programs (including individualized education accounts and education savings accounts) or enrolling scholarship recipients from hiring or retaining employees who have been found to commit child abuse, severe child abuse, child sexual abuse, or child neglect. The bill requires the Department of Children's Services to conduct background checks upon school requests and disclose verified abuse findings or immediate safety threats to schools. It also bars schools from hiring individuals listed on Tennessee's vulnerable person's registry, sex offender registry, or similar registries in other states. These provisions apply directly to participating private schools and their employees, aiming to prevent individuals with substantiated child abuse histories from working in educational settings.