Sen. Page Walley

Maddy summarySB 1456 increases Hardeman County’s assumed property tax collection rate from 85% to 92% when calculating the general tax rate for the county’s general fund budget. This change directly affects Hardeman County officials and taxpayers, as it allows the county to budget for higher projected tax revenue when setting annual spending levels. The bill amends specific state code to adjust this collection rate threshold, requiring county legislative approval by a two-thirds vote before taking effect. The policy change modifies how the county estimates its property tax income for budget planning, without altering tax rates or creating new taxes.

Maddy summarySB 1458 adjusts Oakland's local government structure by changing when mayoral and aldermanic terms begin (on the first business day after election certification) and establishing a fixed five-member council with specific election rules. It creates a staggered election cycle starting in 2026 (three positions elected in 2026, two in 2028) and allows for a sixth council seat if Oakland's population reaches 18,000 or more per census. The bill ensures current officials' terms remain unaffected and mandates that compensation changes cannot occur during an official's term. This directly affects Oakland residents through their local governance structure and election process.

Maddy summarySB 130 allows Tennessee's Fish & Wildlife Commission to create rules or issue proclamations authorizing hunters to use drones exclusively for locating and recovering deer they have wounded during lawful hunting. The bill amends state law to permit this specific use of drones, ensuring they cannot be used for general hunting or other purposes. It directly affects hunters, the commission, and wildlife management practices by providing a formal process for drone-assisted deer recovery. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies only to wounded deer, not to hunting activities generally.

Maddy summarySB 784 changes how Tennessee financial institutions claim tax credits for loans made to housing entities. It replaces the previous method (based on a fixed unpaid principal balance) with a new calculation using the *month-end average unpaid principal balance* of those loans. Financial institutions now qualify for a 3% annual credit on regular qualified loans and a 5% credit on low-rate loans, applied over the loan’s life or 15 years, whichever ends first. This bill directly affects banks and credit unions that provide eligible housing loans, adjusting the tax credit amount under Tennessee Code §67-4-2109. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 144 redirects all sales and use tax revenue from tire sales (new or used) starting July 1, 2025, into Tennessee’s highway fund. This applies to all tire-related transactions, including sales, use, consumption, or distribution. The bill exempts existing tax revenue dedicated to education (from 1992 and 2002 laws), which remains allocated as currently required. The law ensures tire tax funds directly support highway infrastructure maintenance and development.

Maddy summarySB 14 amends Tennessee's wildlife laws to reclassify hunting on private land without permission from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class B misdemeanor. This change directly affects hunters who trespass on private property, though penalties remain limited to fines (capped at $500 per violation) without jail time. The bill updates multiple sections of Tennessee Code Annotated (Title 70) to standardize maximum fines at $500 for various hunting and fishing violations. It takes effect July 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 843 (enacted as Public Chapter 441) changes how Tennessee distributes revenue from real estate transfer taxes. It requires the state to return 50% of these taxes - collected by counties when property transfers occur - to the specific county where the tax was paid, starting July 1, 2025. This directly affects all Tennessee counties, providing them with additional local funding for services and infrastructure. The key provision amends Tennessee Code Annotated §67-4-409(d) to mandate this revenue sharing, shifting funds currently sent entirely to the state treasury back to local governments.

Maddy summarySB 510 requires all new state legislators, judges, county officials, and district attorneys general taking office on or after July 1, 2025, to join Tennessee’s public retirement system (TCRS) as a condition of taking office. It also mandates that part-time state employees hired on or after July 1, 2025, become TCRS members unless excluded by specific categories (e.g., students, seasonal workers). The bill allows retirees to update their beneficiary designations to a new spouse following a divorce that cancels a former spouse’s benefit. Effective May 5, 2025, the law amends multiple retirement chapters (Titles 8, Chapters 25, 34-37) to implement these changes.

Maddy summarySB 1428 changes how Fayette County collects and uses its "wheel tax" (a tax on motor vehicles). It requires the county clerk - not the county court clerk - to collect the tax when issuing vehicle licenses, and excludes the $1 administrative fee from revenue calculations. The bill mandates that 100% of the tax revenue (minus the fee) must go to the county general fund or be transferred to specific funds for school construction, county facilities, or debt repayment, as determined annually in the budget. This change requires a two-thirds vote approval from Fayette County’s legislative body to take effect.

Maddy summarySB 1438 would require Chester County residents to pay a $65.35 annual tax on each motor vehicle they own, with exemptions for vehicles held by auto dealers for resale or farm tractors. The County Clerk would collect the tax, issue receipts, and require a decal on license plates to prove payment. This tax would only take effect if Chester County’s legislative body approves it by a two-thirds vote. Violating the tax requirement would be punishable as a Class C misdemeanor.