Rep. Ron Gant

Maddy summaryHB 290 converts Tennessee's temporary school safety alert grant pilot program into a permanent statewide program for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. It removes the previous limit on the number of grants awarded each year and sets a $8,000 annual cap per school for purchasing approved panic alert systems. The bill directs the state education department to award grants to public, charter, private, and church-related schools across Tennessee's three grand divisions, prioritizing first-come, first-served applications while ensuring geographic distribution. Funds from the pilot program are transferred to a new dedicated grant fund effective July 1, 2025, with annual reports required for the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 292 requires Tennessee's Department of Economic and Community Development to submit an annual report to specific legislative committees. The report must include details about regional authorities created the previous year, such as the involved municipalities, land acquired or improved, project financing methods, and other relevant information. This bill directly affects the department (which must prepare the report) and the Senate Finance Committee and House Finance Committee (which receive it). The law aims to increase transparency around regional authority projects without changing how those authorities operate.

Maddy summaryHB 151 increases property tax relief for disabled veteran homeowners in Tennessee by raising the reimbursement threshold from $175,000 to $200,000 of a home’s full market value. This change directly affects qualifying disabled veterans who own homes, allowing them to receive tax relief on a larger portion of their property value. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 7, to adjust the reimbursement calculation without altering eligibility requirements. The increase applies to tax years beginning on or after July 1, 2025. This is a concrete policy change focused on expanding existing tax relief for a specific group of veterans.

Maddy summaryHB 149 defines "solar energy facility" for regulatory purposes, excluding small residential systems under 5MW and equipment used in homes. It updates Tennessee code sections to replace "wind energy" with "utility" and adds specific rules for solar arrays, including setback requirements from property lines. Local governments can adopt their own solar siting regulations by July 1, 2025, and facilities built before that date are exempt from the new rules. The bill directly affects solar developers, local zoning authorities, and communities near proposed solar projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill lowers the blood alcohol concentration threshold for enhanced minimum sentencing in driving under the influence cases from 0.20 percent to 0.15 percent. It directly affects individuals convicted of DUI offenses in Tennessee who have a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent or higher. The law applies to crimes committed on or after July 1, 2023, and modifies specific sections of state code to reflect this stricter standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Tennessee Code Annotated to change the deadline for filing certain school safety reports from February 1 to January 15. The change directly affects school districts and officials who must submit these reports by adjusting the due date to an earlier point in the calendar year. By shifting the deadline, the law provides a more consistent timeline for schools to prepare and submit their safety documentation. The act takes effect on July 1, 2024, and applies to the reporting requirements outlined in the relevant state statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires law enforcement and jail officials to work together to check the citizenship status of individuals who are arrested, booked, or held in a county or municipal jail. If a person is found to be not lawfully present in the United States or if their status cannot be determined, the sheriff must report this information to the district attorneys general conference. The legislation also extends the time limit for certain criminal justice procedures from ninety days to one hundred days.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale of refrigerated or cold beer at retail by any person or entity holding a beer permit in Tennessee. The law applies to all existing and future beer permit holders and takes effect immediately upon becoming law. By restricting cold beer sales, the legislation aims to regulate how alcohol is sold at retail locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a Class A misdemeanor for a parent or guardian to knowingly leave a child under eighteen in the care of someone required to register as a sexual offender. The law applies specifically when the parent allows the child to be supervised by or unaccompanied with such an individual, unless specific exceptions in the sex offender registry law apply. By amending state codes on child endangerment and sex offender registration, the legislation clarifies the legal consequences for parents who fail to protect children from registered offenders.

Maddy summaryThis law allows law enforcement officers to execute search warrants for medical records or blood alcohol and drug tests anywhere in Tennessee, rather than being limited to the specific county where the warrant was issued. The change applies to all officers statewide and removes previous geographic restrictions on where these specific types of warrants can be carried out. Effective May 1, 2024, the provision updates existing statutes to align with this expanded authority for executing warrants across county lines.