Sen. Paul Bailey

Maddy summarySB 2458 regulates delivery network companies (DNCs) like food or package delivery apps operating in Tennessee. It requires DNCs to provide customers with clear pricing and delivery details before service, display driver identification and vehicle info via their app, and send electronic receipts. The bill mandates comprehensive background checks (criminal and sex offender registry) for drivers, sets minimum insurance requirements ($100,000 coverage when actively delivering), and prohibits DNCs from using for-hire vehicle regulations. It directly affects DNCs, their drivers, and customers by standardizing safety, transparency, and insurance practices. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1612 amends Tennessee law to allow state agencies to operate child care programs for state employees in leased office buildings, not just state-owned ones. This change directly affects state agencies that lease office space and their employees who rely on workplace child care. The bill updates existing code (Title 8) by replacing "state-owned office buildings" with "state-owned or leased office buildings" to expand where such programs can be located. It does not create new funding or services but adjusts eligibility for existing child care program locations. The amendment takes effect upon becoming law.

Maddy summarySB 2471 changes the required notice period for property owners to sell livestock (referred to as "stock" in legal terms) that trespassed on their land. The bill updates Tennessee law to require 10 business days' notice instead of 10 calendar days before a property owner may sell the trespassing livestock to recover damages from a court judgment. This affects property owners and courts handling trespass cases involving livestock, specifically amending multiple sections of Tennessee Code related to real property (Titles 11, 29, 39, 40, 44, 45, 46, 59, 66, 68, and 70). The change simplifies the timeline for property owners to address trespassing livestock while ensuring notice periods align with standard business operations.

Maddy summarySB 2454 amends Tennessee law to allow airport authorities (under Title 42, Chapters 3 or 4) to receive direct, permanent state appropriations for paying bond interest and principal on debt they issue. This means airport authorities can get ongoing state funds to cover their own bond payments without those debts counting as state liabilities. The bill specifically adds airport authorities to the list of entities eligible for such appropriations, alongside existing entities like housing agencies. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and clarifies that these appropriations are for debt service obligations indefinitely.

Maddy summarySB 1901 requires U.S. citizenship or "qualified alien" status (as defined in Tennessee law) for individuals seeking professional licenses, certificates, permits, or authorizations across multiple occupations. It amends over 20 Tennessee code sections affecting fields like court reporting, law, aeronautics instruction, and healthcare services. The bill explicitly adds this eligibility requirement to existing licensing standards, such as mandating it for court reporters (Section 2), lawyers (Section 3), and healthcare providers (Sections 12-13). This policy change directly impacts applicants for these professions in Tennessee by establishing a new federal immigration status criterion for licensure.

Maddy summarySB 343 extends the deadline for Tennessee licensing boards to respond to health department inquiries about prescribers with concerning prescribing patterns. Specifically, it increases the response time from 30 to 45 days when the Department of Health asks about actions taken (or lack thereof) against prescribers identified as statistical outliers, top prescribers, or high-risk prescribers of controlled substances. This change directly affects licensing boards responsible for reviewing prescriber conduct under Tennessee health regulations. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee law (Titles 4, 29, 33, 56, 63, 68, and 71) to implement this procedural adjustment.

Maddy summarySB 608 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 55 to authorize the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to create rules governing automobile clubs and associations. This bill directly affects auto clubs operating in Tennessee by establishing a regulatory framework under the commissioner's authority. The key provision adds a new sentence to TCA § 55-18-104, granting the commissioner power to promulgate necessary rules to implement this chapter. The bill focuses solely on enabling rulemaking without specifying particular regulations.

Maddy summarySB 1611 would allow a joint board formed by two municipalities and two counties (via an interlocal agreement) to operate an airport with the same legal authority as a regional airport authority under Tennessee law. The bill grants such boards all powers, rights, and duties of a regional airport authority, recognizing them as public entities that can file a charter with the state to formalize their corporate status. It specifies that governance details (like member terms and board composition) must be set in the interlocal agreement, not in state code. This change directly affects local governments forming such airport partnerships, streamlining their operational authority without requiring new state legislation.

Maddy summarySB 995 prohibits most non-compete agreements that restrict employees or contractors from practicing their profession after employment ends or contracts conclude in Tennessee. It removes previous exceptions allowing such restrictions (by deleting references to Section 63-1-148) and makes these clauses void and unenforceable. The law applies to contracts entered into or amended on or after July 1, 2025, directly affecting workers transitioning between jobs and employers seeking to limit post-employment competition. This change aims to increase workforce mobility by eliminating common barriers to reemployment.

Maddy summarySB 354 allows certain state officials - including department heads, the state treasurer, secretary of state, and adjutant general - to file their annual reports electronically with the governor. The bill amends Tennessee Code to add electronic submission as an option for reports covering agency functions, management, and finances. This change modernizes the filing process without altering report content, requirements, or agency obligations. It is a procedural update affecting how state agencies submit mandatory annual reports.