Sen. Tom Hatcher

Maddy summarySB 2534 would allow Tellico Village Property Owners Association to have its water and wastewater services regulated by the Tennessee Board of Utility Regulation, rather than local oversight. It creates a new eligibility category for nonprofit associations meeting specific criteria: those formed in 1985, serving at least 5,000 community lots, providing some emergency services funding, exclusively providing water/wastewater for members, and requesting state regulation. The bill amends Tennessee state code to add this exception, directly affecting Tellico Village's utility operations. This change would shift regulatory authority from local bodies to the state board for this specific association's services.

Maddy summarySJR 689 is a resolution passed by the Tennessee General Assembly to honor Kathy Stark for her 25 years of service as Executive Director of Blount County Habitat for Humanity. The resolution recognizes her leadership in expanding affordable housing initiatives, including the development of neighborhoods like Jubilee Ridge and Halls Place, the establishment of the Critical Home Repair program, and securing permanent facilities for the organization. This commemorative resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges her contributions to community housing and development.

Maddy summarySB 1101 allows Tennessee counties to create a property tax exemption for portions of real property covered by tree canopy, as defined by specific measurement methods (including aerial imagery or field surveys). Property owners in participating counties can apply for this exemption, which applies only to the canopy-covered area (not the entire property), with the exemption value determined by county agencies. The exemption requires annual renewal, is not transferable, and property owners must report changes affecting canopy coverage to maintain the tax break.

Maddy summarySB 1846 expands how funds from the Ocoee River recreation and economic development fund can be used, allowing the board to support tourism promotion, infrastructure upgrades, and community events benefiting the Ocoee River management zone. It replaces the park manager position on the board with the director of the division of state parks, effective July 1, 2026. The bill also limits commercial permits for river operations to 24 total, reducing to 12 after 2026, and restricts permit transfers to immediate family or business buyers. These changes directly affect commercial operators, tourism entities, and the Ocoee River management zone stakeholders. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2536 requires local governments (such as cities, counties, or other political subdivisions) that approve supplemental retirement benefits for hazardous duty to forward a copy of their resolution to the Tennessee consolidated retirement system's board of trustees. This amendment to state law (TCA Title 8, Chapter 36) adds a mandatory notification step for these benefits, ensuring the state retirement system is informed of local decisions. The bill directly affects political subdivisions that grant hazardous duty retirement benefits by requiring them to share resolution details with the state system. It does not alter the benefits themselves but establishes a formal communication process between local governments and the retirement system.

Maddy summarySB 2538 establishes that children in Tennessee have fundamental legal rights to safety, protection from harm, and their best interests as the top priority in all legal proceedings, government actions, and policies affecting them. It directly affects children, courts, child protective services, and government agencies by requiring courts to consider children's safety and well-being first, provide legal representation for children in key cases, and admit expert testimony only when professionals have specific child-related expertise. The bill also guarantees children the right to express safety concerns without fear and mandates clear court explanations when overriding child welfare recommendations. Violations of these rights allow children to seek legal remedies through their representatives.

Maddy summarySB 2540 revises Tennessee's public records laws to make accessing government documents easier and clarify fee structures. It eliminates the requirement for written requests (allowing in-person, phone, email, or online submissions), requires redacted records to be provided (with requestors paying redaction costs), and standardizes fee guidelines for copying and inspection. The bill directly affects citizens seeking public records and government offices handling those requests. Key provisions include banning written request mandates, shifting redaction costs to requestors, and establishing a fee schedule under the Office of Open Records Counsel. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2527 requires the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) board of trustees to include specific certification details in its annual report to the legislature. The certification must show the required normal contributions, accumulated liability contributions, and cost-of-living adjustments needed from employers to cover retirement benefits for state judges and attorneys general in Groups 1, 3, and 4 of the retirement system. This bill amends Tennessee law to add this reporting requirement to the existing annual report process. It does not change benefit levels or funding amounts but ensures transparency about employer contribution needs for these specific retirement groups.

Maddy summarySB 2526 allows Tennessee counties to sell surplus, obsolete, or unusable real property to third parties without requiring public auctions or sealed bids. It mandates that sales occur at fair market value, determined by two state-licensed appraisers, and requires approval by a majority vote of the county legislative body. This bill amends Tennessee Code sections 5-14-108 and 5-21-130 to override previous requirements for competitive bidding on such property sales. The change directly affects county governments by providing a streamlined process for disposing of underutilized land or buildings.

Maddy summarySB 2006 increases penalties for businesses that illegally dispose of sewage from septic systems. It upgrades the offense from a Class C to a Class B misdemeanor when the violation occurs during the business of removing accumulated waste from septic systems. This directly affects septic tank cleaning and waste removal companies that fail to follow proper disposal procedures. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and amends Tennessee laws in Title 39 and Title 68, Chapter 221.