Sen. Bill Powers

Maddy summaryThis bill honors Victoria Elizabeth Grace Maners, the 2026 Salutatorian of Northwest High School, for her academic achievements. It formally recognizes her high grade point average and participation in extracurricular activities during her high school career. The resolution expresses commendation for her academic success and wishes her well for her future. This type of measure does not change laws or policies but serves as an official acknowledgment of individual accomplishment.

Maddy summaryThis bill honors Junyi Kim, the 2026 Salutatorian of Rossview High School, by formally recognizing her academic achievements. The resolution commends her for earning an exemplary grade point average while participating in extracurricular activities and joining the ranks of top students in Tennessee. It expresses the General Assembly's pride in her accomplishment and extends best wishes for her future success. The bill is a ceremonial tribute with no policy changes or funding implications.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate Joint Resolution that formally commends Alexandria Tetterton for her service as a legislative intern to Senator Bill Powers. The resolution recognizes her professional work, academic achievements at Austin Peay State University, and various campus leadership roles. It does not create new laws or policy changes but serves as an official acknowledgment of her contributions during the 2026 legislative session. The document was signed by state officials and transmitted to the Governor for final approval.

Maddy summarySJR 843 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating Cathy Kolb on her reappointment to Tennessee's State Board of Education. It formally recognizes her 30+ years as an educator, including her current role as a special education teacher, and her degrees from Western Kentucky and Austin Peay State universities. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses legislative appreciation for her service to Tennessee students and communities. This procedural resolution passed unanimously by the Senate on March 5, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1669 removes state restrictions on commercial driver license (CDL) holders with certain medical conditions, provided they are certified as medically qualified by a federally certified medical examiner. The bill directly affects commercial drivers who meet federal medical standards (per 49 CFR 391.43) and hold a valid certification from a medical examiner listed on the national registry. It amends Tennessee law to ensure state regulations do not override federal medical qualifications for these drivers. This change allows qualified drivers to operate commercial vehicles without additional state-imposed medical restrictions.

Maddy summarySB 2448, the "Tennessee Career Readiness Enhancement Act," requires public high schools (grades 11-12) to integrate free, nationally recognized career readiness tools into at least one career technical education course starting in 2026-2027. These tools provide stackable credentials in soft skills, employability, and digital literacy, with students earning up to three elective credits or a $100 micro-grant for obtaining three credentials. The bill mandates teacher training on these tools, establishes a pilot program (2027-2028) to gather employer feedback on credential relevance, and requires annual reporting of credential data by school district and student demographics. It directly affects Tennessee high schools, students, and local businesses through workforce-aligned education pathways.

Maddy summarySB 2446 establishes Tennessee's participation in the "Interstate Massage Compact," creating a multistate licensing pathway for massage therapists. It directly affects licensed massage therapists seeking to practice in multiple participating states, while improving public access to services and safety. Key provisions include forming an interstate commission to manage licensing, share disciplinary information between states, and allow therapists to practice across state lines with a single license. The compact also specifically aims to support military members and spouses relocating, and requires therapists to maintain continuing competence. This bill does not replace existing state licensing but adds a new, streamlined option for cross-state practice.

Maddy summarySB 2445 prohibits formal meetings ("collaborative conferencing") between school boards and staff representatives (like teachers or principals) to discuss working conditions. It directly affects school boards and professional employees by banning these meetings and preventing boards from allowing staff organizations to use school facilities under community access policies. The bill redefines "collaborative conferencing" to exclude attorney involvement and explicitly prohibits both staff and boards from participating in such discussions. The law expires on July 1, 2026, though existing contracts signed before that date remain valid until their natural expiration.

Maddy summarySB 2449 prohibits Tennessee's state board of education from requiring fully online, self-paced private schools to administer annual standardized English and math tests to all students. Instead, it directs the state board to require such private schools to administer these tests only to high school students who have completed 50% or 90% of their program (if under 18), unless they finish the full program within one year (then tested once). The bill amends Tennessee law to create this tiered testing requirement specifically for private high school programs. It takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

Maddy summarySB 1618 clarifies that Tennessee financial institutions do not need to confirm if a deceased customer's estate or heirs received a subpoena when the institution reasonably believes the customer is deceased. It also specifies that financial records must be delivered to the party who issued the subpoena (the "issuer") using agreed-upon methods, and requires the issuer to securely retain and not disclose these records. This bill affects banks and financial institutions when responding to subpoena requests for customer financial records. The changes take effect on July 1, 2026.