Rep. Chris Todd

Maddy summaryHB 895 removes a requirement that new or expanded landfill sites must be located at least two miles away from designated Class II scenic rivers in Tennessee. This bill directly affects landfill developers and communities near these protected waterways by eliminating a buffer zone designed to limit development close to sensitive river environments. The bill achieves this by deleting specific provisions in Tennessee Code (Sections 68-211-118, 68-212-120, and 68-212-223) that previously enforced the two-mile restriction. The change would allow landfills to be built closer to scenic rivers without needing to comply with this distance rule. The bill is currently in committee referral and has not yet been voted on.

Maddy summaryHB 899 prohibits weather-related companies in Tennessee from conducting specific weather modification activities, such as cloud seeding (injecting chemicals into clouds to alter rainfall), using heat sources to influence weather, or modifying solar radiation. It directly affects businesses offering weather modification services, including cloud seeding, atmospheric assessments, or weather forecasting as a core service. The bill amends consumer protection law to treat violations as unfair or deceptive business practices, subjecting offenders to penalties under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 887, the "Tennessee Foreign Adversary and Chinese Military Company Disclosure and Accountability Act," requires lobbyists representing foreign governments or blacklisted Chinese military companies to file specific affidavits. These affidavits must confirm the lobbyist's voluntary engagement and detail the Chinese Communist Party's goals of displacing U.S. global leadership, including the role of military companies in national security strategy. The bill imposes a $50,000 civil penalty per violation for failing to submit these disclosures, with each day of non-compliance counting as a separate violation. It applies to lobbyists working for entities designated as "foreign adversaries" or Chinese military companies under U.S. government lists, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 893 requires Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation to post a publicly accessible list online showing all water withdrawals of 10,000 or more gallons per day from surface or groundwater sources. This affects large water users, such as industrial facilities or agricultural operations, that register significant water withdrawals. The key provision mandates the department to make this registration data available on its website, improving public access to water usage information. The bill amends several Tennessee Code sections to implement this transparency requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 892 requires the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to post its annual reports on the Tennessee Agricultural Museum and its board operations on the department’s website within one month of the governor’s approval. This applies to all reports currently mandated under the specified Tennessee Code sections (Titles 4, 11, 43, etc.). The bill directly affects the Department of Agriculture by changing how it shares these reports, making them publicly accessible online instead of through other channels. It is a procedural transparency measure with no substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 891 requires Tennessee's governor to submit an annual report by January 15 to natural resources legislative committees. The report must detail all lands and waters dedicated by the governor as state wildlife preserves, including their exact boundaries. This bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections related to wildlife management to establish this reporting requirement. It directly affects the governor's office (which must prepare the report) and legislative committees (which receive it). The bill creates no new policies but mandates transparency about existing wildlife preserve designations.