Rep. Joe Towns

Maddy summaryHB 2628 prohibits the sale or offering for sale of any food containing a live vaccine in Tennessee. This directly affects food manufacturers, retailers, and distributors who sell edible products. The bill defines "live vaccine" as a weakened virus or bacteria used to build human immunity and amends Tennessee Code Sections 53-1-102 (defining terms) and 53-1-103 (prohibiting unsafe food practices) to include this new restriction. The law would take effect upon becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 2274 changes the deadline for Tennessee's election coordinator to file post-election reports following convenience voting pilot projects. Specifically, it moves the filing date from January 31 to January 15 each year. This affects the coordinator of elections, who must submit these reports to the Senate and House committees on local government. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Section 2-3-307, to implement this deadline adjustment. The change applies only to reports related to convenience voting pilot projects.

Maddy summaryHB 1098 would make it a Class A misdemeanor to carry or possess a privately made firearm without a serial number (or other federal-compliant mark) if the person is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. This bill directly affects non-citizens and non-permanent residents who possess such firearms, which are typically homemade and lack federally required markings. The law would apply to firearms assembled outside commercial channels, creating a new criminal offense under Tennessee law. The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 928 prohibits the sale or offering for sale of any food product containing a live vaccine in Tennessee. The bill defines "live vaccine" as a weakened virus or bacteria intended for human use to stimulate immunity against disease. This law would directly affect food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers within the state who might produce or sell such products. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53 to add this new prohibition to the state's food safety regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 929 would amend Tennessee's campaign finance law to allow candidates and political committees to use campaign funds to pay fines, fees, or penalties resulting from violations of campaign finance or ethics rules. The bill explicitly permits this use by adding a new provision to the law and removing a prior restriction that prohibited it. This change directly affects political campaigns in Tennessee by expanding allowable campaign expenses to cover enforcement-related costs. The amendment would take effect upon enactment, altering how campaign finances are managed for compliance with state regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1099 prohibits selling food containing human-made nanotechnology capable of collecting and transmitting data unless the product is labeled as such. It directly affects food manufacturers and retailers in Tennessee selling products with this specific type of nanotechnology. The bill defines "nanotechnology" as human-created structures under 100 nanometers designed to collect or transmit data, requiring clear labeling for such items. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 925 would allow Tennessee General Assembly members to receive travel expense and mileage reimbursement for arriving on Saturdays or Sundays during legislative sessions to attend or prepare for session meetings. It amends state code to explicitly permit these reimbursements for weekend travel directly related to session business. The bill failed in committee on March 19, 2025, and was not enacted. This procedural change affects only state legislators' travel reimbursement during sessions.

Maddy summaryHB 926 requires Tennessee's Senate and House speakers to set equal numbers of approved legislative conferences or conference days for state senators and representatives to receive expense and mileage allowances. It directly affects all members of the Tennessee General Assembly who attend meetings related to state business, such as symposiums or workshops. The bill defines "conference" broadly to include any official meeting concerning state duties and mandates that both chambers must have identical approval counts for these events. The law would take effect on November 3, 2026, standardizing how travel costs are covered for legislative meetings.

Maddy summaryHB 924 requires the Tennessee Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of building a new Mississippi River bridge connecting Tennessee to Arkansas, including related infrastructure. The study must examine development options, funding sources (federal, state, or local), and a timeline for potential construction, with a report due to transportation committees by February 1, 2026. This bill directly affects the state DOT and future legislative decisions regarding the bridge project. It does not fund or authorize construction but mandates a formal study to inform future action.

Maddy summaryHB 1183 amends Tennessee law to extend the deadline for the Department of Finance and Administration to submit an annual report on aviation fuel tax revenues. Specifically, it changes the reporting date from December 31 to January 15 each year, requiring the department to detail the total aviation fuel tax revenues collected in the previous fiscal year. This procedural change affects the department’s reporting schedule and the legislative committees (finance and transportation committees) that receive the report. The bill does not alter tax rates or revenue collection mechanisms, only the timing of the report.