Sen. Mark Pody

Primary SB 23

died · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Taxes, Hotel Motel - As introduced, extends by six years the period in which Davidson County may charge an additional $0.50 privilege tax on the occupancy of a hotel room and in which such county may allocate the tax revenue for the purposes of direct promotion of tourism; extends by six years the terms of the committee members that oversee the fund in which the additional tax is deposited. - Amends TCA Section 7-4-202.

Maddy summarySB 23 would have extended Davidson County's temporary $0.50 hotel occupancy tax (used for tourism promotion) and the oversight committee's term by six years, moving the expiration from 2020 to 2026. The bill directly affected Davidson County (which includes Nashville) by allowing continued use of hotel tax revenue for tourism marketing. It amended Tennessee Code Section 7-4-202 to adjust the tax expiration date and committee terms. The bill was filed on January 2, 2025, but withdrawn just five days later on January 7, 2025, and is no longer active.

Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExtends Davidson County's hotel tax revenue allocation for tourism promotion, maintaining fiscal management of tourism marketing funds per TCA amendment.90% confidence

died Jan 7, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 1963

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Open Meetings - As enacted, permits a court to award the reasonable court costs and attorney's fees to a petitioner successfully proving that a governing body knowingly and willfully violated the public meetings laws in this state. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 4, Part 6 and Title 8, Chapter 44, Part 1.

Maddy summaryThis Tennessee law allows courts to order government bodies to pay legal fees and court costs if they knowingly and intentionally break public meeting rules. The change applies to any group required to hold open meetings, such as city councils or school boards, that deliberately ignore these requirements. When a citizen sues to enforce these rules and wins, the judge can decide to make the offending body cover the petitioner's reasonable expenses, including lawyer fees. The law also lets judges look at advice given by state open records staff when deciding if a violation was intentional.

Signed into law May 31, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SB 2315

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Local Government, General - As enacted, establishes the "Residential Infrastructure Development Act of 2024." - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 84; Title 9, Chapter 21; Title 66, Chapter 5 and Title 67.

Maddy summaryThis enacted bill, known as the Residential Infrastructure Development Act of 2024, creates a new legal framework for local governments in Tennessee to form independent special districts specifically for residential development. These districts allow municipalities and counties to fund and finance necessary infrastructure projects, such as roads, utilities, and public land, by levying special assessments directly on the properties within the district boundaries. The legislation provides a uniform procedure for establishing these districts and collecting funds, offering an alternative to existing methods like special improvement districts or general tax levies. By creating a separate authority for residential projects, the act ensures that developers and property owners in growing areas can share the costs of new infrastructure without overburdening the broader taxpayer base.

Signed into law May 13, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SJR 1493

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Memorials, Personal Occasion - Hamlet Halbert, 91st birthday -

Signed into law May 8, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SJR 1508

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Memorials, Recognition - Melissa Bassler, 2023 Ms. Wilson County Fair -

Signed into law May 8, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SJR 1507

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Memorials, Recognition - Lola Klaire Chappell, Wilson County Fairest of the Fair -

Signed into law May 8, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SJR 1492

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Memorials, Recognition - Sandy Elliott, Ms. Wilson County Senior Tennessee -

Signed into law May 8, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SJR 1415

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Memorials, Interns - Julia Briggs -

Signed into law May 2, 2024 0 co-sponsors

Primary SB 2312

Passed · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Textbooks - As enacted, requires a local board of education that provides electronic textbooks and instructional materials to provide a student reasonable access to a printed version of an electronic textbook or instructional material if the student or the student's parent or legal guardian submits a written request to the principal of the student's school for a physical or hard copy of the textbook or instructional material. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 22.

Passed May 1, 2024 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 1641

Signed into law · Tennessee Senate · Lead sponsor

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As enacted, establishes that generally an attorney or an agent designated to make healthcare decisions under a durable power of attorney for health care has a right to in-person visitation with the principal at a hospital where the principal is located to evaluate the principal's condition. - Amends TCA Title 34; Title 63 and Title 68.

Signed into law May 1, 2024 0 co-sponsors