Rep. Justin Lafferty

Maddy summaryHB 1619 extends the Tennessee State Veterans' Homes Board's operation until June 30, 2029, instead of its prior expiration date. It requires the board to submit a progress report to the Government Operations Committee by December 31, 2026, detailing how it is addressing issues identified in a December 2025 performance audit. The bill modifies administrative procedures for the board, which oversees state veterans' homes, but does not change veterans' benefits or services. This is a procedural extension and reporting requirement, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 1572 extends the operation of Tennessee's Department of Children's Services (DCS) through June 30, 2029, instead of an earlier sunset date. It requires DCS to submit a progress report to the Government Operations Committee by December 31, 2026, detailing how it is addressing findings from a December 2025 performance audit. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections to formalize this extension and reporting requirement. This directly affects DCS operations and accountability to the committee, with no new policy changes beyond the extension and audit follow-up.

Maddy summaryHB 2178 changes the governance structure of the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation by vacating its current board and creating a new 12-member board effective July 1, 2026. The board will consist of seven private-sector members (appointed by the governor, House speaker, and Senate speaker) and four public-sector members (appointed similarly), with specific initial term lengths. The bill also requires annual conflict-of-interest disclosures for board members and limits board meeting frequency to eight times per year. This procedural change affects only the corporation’s leadership structure, not its programs or public services.

Maddy summaryHB 2009 allows counties or municipalities to request a highway traffic noise study for residential properties along state or interstate highways when tree zones (dense natural barriers) behind homes are removed, cut, or cleared for non-highway purposes, and no existing noise barrier or shielding is present. It applies specifically to properties where the removal of trees eliminates a natural noise barrier, potentially increasing noise exposure. The bill requires the Tennessee Department of Transportation to conduct the study upon a local government's formal request. It does not mandate the construction of noise barriers but provides a process for assessing noise impacts after tree removal.

Maddy summaryHB 1608 extends the operational lifespan of the Tennessee Council for Career and Technical Education by removing its automatic expiration date, setting a new end date of June 30, 2030. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections (TCA 4-29-247 and 4-29-251) to reflect this extension, ensuring the council can continue its work without needing annual renewal. This change directly affects the council’s ability to administer career and technical education programs across the state. The legislation is procedural, focusing solely on the council’s ongoing authority rather than new programs or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1581 extends the existence of Tennessee's Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board until June 30, 2028, by amending state code sections related to the board's authority. This bill directly affects inmates in Tennessee correctional facilities and the state's prison system, as the board reviews disciplinary actions taken against inmates. The key change is a simple extension of the board's operational period, maintaining existing oversight without altering its structure or responsibilities.

Maddy summaryHB 2179 modifies Tennessee workers' compensation rules to protect employees who win third-party lawsuits after employers contested medical aspects of their claims. Specifically, if an employer disputes medical causation, permanency, or injury extent using their own medical opinion (not the employee's C-42 panel physician), they lose the right to recover attorney fees or claim a subrogation lien when the employee recovers from a third party. This change directly affects employers and their workers' compensation insurers who contest medical evaluations. The bill also raises certain benefit percentages from 66⅔% to 75% and clarifies permanent disability benefit rights, but the key provision focuses on removing financial penalties for employers who contest medical opinions.

Maddy summaryHB 2043 prevents certain state agency rules from automatically expiring on June 30, 2026. Specifically, it keeps permanent rules filed with the Secretary of State on or after January 1, 2025 - those in effect when the bill passes and scheduled to expire on June 30, 2026 - active until the agency repeals, amends them, or new legislation supersedes them. This directly affects Tennessee state agencies that create these rules and the public subject to them, as it avoids an automatic lapse of existing regulations. The bill does not change the rules themselves but extends their validity through standard rulemaking processes. It explicitly states rules cannot remain in effect if they conflict with other laws outside the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.

Maddy summaryHB 2180 requires third-party booking sites (like Expedia or Kayak) to clearly disclose extra fees for hotel add-ons - such as parking, breakfast, spa services, or late checkouts - before a consumer books. It directly affects these websites, not hotels’ own sites, by mandating upfront disclosure of which services require additional payment beyond the room rate. Violations would be treated as violations of Tennessee’s Consumer Protection Act, subjecting sites to penalties. The law applies to all such sites aggregating hotel options in Tennessee and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1575 extends the existence of Tennessee's Department of Human Services until June 30, 2030, preventing its automatic termination under prior sunset provisions. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 4-29-247 and 4-29-251 to remove an outdated reference and clarify the department's legal definition. This is a procedural bill focused solely on maintaining the department's ongoing operation without changing its services, funding, or responsibilities. It directly affects the Department of Human Services by ensuring its continued legal authority through 2030.