Sen. Paul Bailey

Maddy summarySJR 679 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the Upperman High School Lady Bees basketball team for winning the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic tournament. It formally commends the team, coaches, and supporters for their championship victory, including their 59-50 win over Bearden in the final. This resolution does not create new laws or affect any policies - it is purely a symbolic recognition of the team's athletic achievement and character. It was adopted by the Tennessee General Assembly and transmitted to the governor for formal acknowledgment.

Maddy summarySB 1902 requires local governing bodies to publish notice of hearings on creating airport authorities on their official website for at least two weeks before the hearing date. This bill directly affects cities or counties considering establishing new airport authorities by adding a transparency requirement to the process. It amends Tennessee Code sections related to airport authorities (TCA Titles 4, 7, 42) to implement this notice period, ensuring public access to hearing information well in advance. The change is procedural, focusing on the timing and method of public notification rather than altering airport operations or funding.

Maddy summarySB 1608 would waive tuition, maintenance fees, student activity fees, and required registration fees for dependent children of law enforcement officers or firefighters who were killed or died from injuries sustained while on duty. To qualify, the child must be under 23, enrolled full-time at a Tennessee public college or university, and provide official certification of the parent's line-of-duty death. The waiver covers all eligible fees at the institution where the child is enrolled but does not refund fees paid before the waiver was granted. It remains effective until the child earns an undergraduate degree, completes 135 semester hours (excluding remedial courses), or attempts 150 semester hours (including remedial courses), whichever occurs first.

Maddy summarySB 2631 requires cemetery companies in Tennessee to record the exact GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude) for every burial, replacing vague lot designations. This applies directly to cemetery operators who must include these coordinates in their burial records. The bill mandates that cemetery companies send a copy of this updated record to the responsible funeral home within 15 days of burial. The law, effective January 1, 2027, amends Tennessee Code Sections 46-1-111 and related provisions to standardize location tracking for burial sites.

Maddy summarySB 2472 modifies Tennessee's airport authority budget process by extending the deadline for the president of a metropolitan airport authority to submit the annual operating budget to the board. Specifically, it changes the requirement from 60 days to 75 days before the fiscal year begins. This bill directly affects airport authority presidents and their governing boards in Tennessee. The change is purely procedural, adjusting the timing for budget submissions without altering financial policies or funding levels. It will take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2611 permits current or retired Tennessee chancery, circuit, and appellate court judges to carry firearms in the same locations as law enforcement officers, provided they hold an enhanced handgun carry permit and complete POST-certified firearms training. Judges must complete 40 hours of initial and 8 hours of annual firearms training through a POST-certified program to qualify. The bill requires the administrative office of the courts to create a uniform identification system for these judges to display at all times when carrying a firearm. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2455 extends the timeframe financial service providers in Tennessee may delay or refuse non-securities transactions due to suspected financial exploitation, from five to ten business days. This change directly affects financial service providers (like banks or credit unions) and consumers who may have transactions temporarily blocked. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 45-2-1203(e)(2) and Title 45 to implement this 5-day extension, providing more time for providers to investigate potential exploitation cases.

Maddy summarySB 2474 prohibits local governments in Tennessee from denying the transfer of entertainment transportation permits (like party buses) between qualified businesses, requiring vehicles to be enclosed if safety standards are met, or imposing stricter noise limits than other tourism-area commercial vehicles. It also bans local authorities from demanding traffic studies as a permit condition and prevents arbitrary permit revocations without "good cause" (like repeated violations or six months of disuse). The bill directly affects businesses operating entertainment transportation services and the local governments that regulate them. It ensures permit transfers can occur when businesses meet state/local qualifications and require notice to authorities, while standardizing noise rules and safety requirements. The law aims to reduce regulatory barriers for this sector under state law.

Maddy summarySB 1980 defines when a minor (under 18, excluding emancipated minors) is considered "engaged in content creation" for online platforms. It requires content creators to set aside earnings from videos featuring minors in a trust account until the minor turns 18, based on how much the minor appears in paid content (minimum 30% of videos over 30 days with viewer compensation ≥$0.01/view). Creators must also maintain detailed records about minor involvement and compensation, while exempting minors who create their own content without featuring others. The bill directly affects minors appearing in monetized online content and the creators who feature them.

Maddy summarySB 795 allows Tennessee local governments (like cities and counties) to directly purchase goods and services from vendors already in federal General Services Administration (GSA) schedule contracts, without requiring competitive bidding or price quotations. It specifically permits these purchases at the exact GSA schedule price, as long as the vendor is part of a federal open procurement program. The bill amends state procurement law to remove the bidding requirement for these pre-approved federal contracts, while still requiring purchases to match the vendor’s current GSA price. This change applies to most goods and services, excluding motor vehicles. The bill does not alter existing federal requirements or mandate local governments to use this option.