Sen. Paul Bailey

Maddy summarySB 605 extends the notice period from 10 to 20 days for a spouse not signing a home improvement contract to formally object to the contract. This affects married couples where property is owned by one or both spouses and one spouse signs a contract with a contractor without the other spouse's agreement. The bill modifies Tennessee law (TCA Title 66, Chapter 11) to prevent the non-signing spouse from being automatically considered the other spouse's representative if they fail to object within the new 20-day window.

Maddy summarySB 1000 modifies Tennessee's insurance licensing rules by changing the expiration date for business entity licenses under the Tennessee Insurance Producer Licensing Act from March 1 to March 15. It also removes an outdated reference about license validity length that no longer applies to licenses issued after January 1, 2007. The bill directly affects insurance producers and businesses operating under Tennessee's licensing system, making these administrative updates to existing statutes. These changes simplify license management without altering substantive licensing requirements.

Maddy summarySB 996 modifies Tennessee law to waive court fees for individuals seeking to restore citizenship rights if a court determines they are indigent (unable to pay costs). It directly affects people with past legal issues who are trying to regain voting rights or other citizenship privileges but cannot afford filing fees. The bill changes existing law to require courts to waive these fees upon proof of indigency, rather than requiring petitioners to pay upfront. This applies to petitions filed after the law takes effect, affecting those navigating the citizenship restoration process in Tennessee. The bill does not change eligibility for rights restoration, only the financial barrier to initiating the process.

Maddy summarySB 287 removes a requirement for Tennessee's comptroller to submit annual reports to the legislature about a pilot program allowing municipal electric systems to expand services beyond their usual areas. This affects the comptroller's office and municipal electric systems that participated in the pilot program. The bill deletes a specific reporting obligation from state law (originally tied to a 2008 deadline) without changing the pilot program's operational rules. The key change is eliminating the need for ongoing legislative reporting on whether the pilot should continue or expand. This is a procedural adjustment with no new requirements or funding impacts.

Maddy summarySB 607 would have deleted the offense of "unlawful carrying of a firearm with intent to go armed" and lowered the minimum age for obtaining a concealed handgun carry permit from 21 to 18 years. It would have added new rules for juveniles (under 18), making it a Class A misdemeanor to carry a firearm with intent to go armed - except during activities like hunting, safety courses, or supervised practice. The bill would have directly affected juveniles and applicants seeking concealed carry permits by changing eligibility rules and creating specific exceptions for lawful firearm activities. These changes were part of amendments to Tennessee's firearms statutes (Title 39, Chapter 17), but the bill was withdrawn before enactment.

Maddy summarySB 169 requires a retiree's new employer to provide written notification to the retirement system when a retired law enforcement officer is rehired. This change modifies Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-36-809(b)(7)(A) to mandate written communication, replacing any previous verbal or informal notice. The bill directly affects retired law enforcement officers who return to work in law enforcement roles, ensuring the retirement system receives formal documentation of their reemployment. It is a procedural update to clarify administrative requirements for pension records.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires businesses that serve alcohol on their premises to post a minimum $10,000 bond with the state Department of Revenue. The purpose of this bond is to guarantee that these establishments pay their required taxes correctly. The law applies to any license holder authorized to consume alcohol on the property and updates existing state codes to enforce this financial requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the mandatory annual continuing education requirement for Tennessee county commissioners from seven to eight hours. It allows the University of Tennessee's county technical assistance service to provide this training and requires the state comptroller to publicly report on each commissioner's training completion. Counties are authorized to offer a $600 stipend to commissioners who successfully finish the required training each year. Additionally, the law makes commissioners ineligible for re-election or appointment if they fail to meet these training standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits individuals under 25 from purchasing or possessing firearms if they were previously adjudicated delinquent for serious offenses such as aggravated assault, animal cruelty, or threats of mass violence. It requires juvenile courts to inform young defendants of this permanent restriction before accepting a guilty plea and mandates that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation access juvenile records to enforce the ban during background checks. The law also makes it a misdemeanor for anyone under 25 with such a history to possess a firearm and bars licensed sellers from selling guns to these individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Tennessee state laws to clarify which vehicles are subject to specific transportation regulations. It explicitly adds "a fire engine converted to a for-hire passenger vehicle" to the list of vehicles that require permits. The change ensures that these modified emergency vehicles are treated the same as other commercial passenger transport options like tractor-pulled wagons. By updating the legal definition, the bill helps regulatory agencies determine which businesses need to obtain and maintain proper operating licenses.