Maddy summarySB 1719 allows Tennessee counties and cities to choose whether school superintendents are elected or appointed by requiring a majority vote of the local legislative body. If elected, current appointed superintendents retain their contracts until expiration, and new superintendents must hold a master's degree, teacher licensure with principal endorsement, and five years of combined teaching/administrative experience. The bill also specifies that elected superintendents serve four-year terms and replaces all references to "appointed director" with "elected superintendent" for districts choosing this model. This changes how local school leadership is selected but does not require any jurisdiction to adopt the elected system. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 1627, the "Tennessee School Safety Act of 2026," requires schools to mandate a psychiatric evaluation for students expelled twice for threatening mass violence on school property or at school events. This applies specifically to students with two prior expulsions for this "zero tolerance" offense. The bill mandates that school officials cannot allow such students to return until a medical professional provides written documentation confirming they are no longer a threat and can safely attend school. The law amends Tennessee Code Annotated sections 39-13-813 and 49-6-3401 to implement this requirement, effective July 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySB 1629 removes criminal penalties for carrying a firearm with intent to go armed in public places, including public parks, by deleting related offenses in Tennessee law. It updates definitions to use "firearm" instead of "handgun" in multiple sections and creates specific exceptions allowing juveniles to carry firearms under limited circumstances, such as protecting livestock or transporting unloaded firearms in vehicles with safety measures. The bill also clarifies that schools may restrict firearm access in certain areas while permitting authorized individuals to carry firearms in state parks and recreational areas. This legislation directly affects the general public, juveniles, and educational institutions by modifying firearm possession rules and penalties. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySB 1411 makes it a Class E felony to assault a school employee while they are performing job duties on school property, at school events, on school-provided transportation, or at a designated school bus stop. It directly affects all K-12 school employees (teachers, administrators, staff) in both public and private schools across Tennessee. The bill reclassifies these specific assaults - previously likely misdemeanors - into a felony offense, increasing penalties. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies only when the assault occurs during work-related activities at school-affiliated locations.
Maddy summarySB 659 amends Tennessee's sales tax law to allow bona fide religious institutions to hold up to four temporary sales events per year without registering to collect sales tax, increasing the previous limit of two. This change directly affects religious organizations that sell goods during periodic events like bake sales or craft fairs. The bill modifies Section 67-6-102 of the Tennessee Code to explicitly include religious institutions under the existing exemption for volunteer fire departments. The policy change provides greater flexibility for these groups to conduct fundraising activities without administrative tax registration requirements.
Maddy summarySB 160 requires municipalities that do not provide their own ambulance services to reimburse counties for ambulance services provided within their boundaries. The reimbursement is calculated based on the municipality's population relative to the county's population (using the latest federal census) and capped at 50% of the total service cost. This applies to cities where the county provides ambulance services within municipal limits. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 61, effective May 9, 2025. It directly affects municipal governing bodies and county governments managing ambulance services.
Maddy summarySB 869 amends Tennessee wildlife laws to allow hunters to use bait for whitetail deer or wild pigs on privately owned or leased land, but only with a new "bait privilege license." This license must be purchased like a regular hunting license, and it applies even to those exempt from standard hunting licenses. The law also gives wildlife officials authority to suspend bait use statewide or locally to manage disease risks in wildlife populations. It does not change existing rules for hunting other species or using bait on public lands.
Maddy summarySB 871 directs the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study and report on Tennessee's healthcare continuum of care, including comparing it to other states' systems and recommending improvements. TACIR must complete this study using existing resources, with assistance from relevant state agencies, and submit the report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2026. This bill does not create new policies but requires a factual analysis to inform future healthcare decisions.
Maddy summarySB 158 requires Tennessee elementary schools to provide students with 60 minutes of physical activity daily (split into two 30-minute sessions), replacing the prior weekly minimum of 130 minutes. It specifies that activity must include unstructured outdoor play when weather permits, excludes time using electronic devices or during physical education classes, and prohibits withholding activity as punishment. The bill applies directly to all Tennessee public elementary schools and their students, effective July 1, 2025. It aims to increase daily physical activity opportunities beyond standard PE class time.
Maddy summarySB 870 requires the Tennessee Department of Education to conduct a landscape analysis of teacher evaluation practices in Tennessee and other states by June 1, 2025. It mandates the creation of a temporary teacher evaluation advisory committee, composed of educators and experts, to review current practices and provide recommendations. The department and state board must then submit a final report - including the analysis, committee findings, and their own suggestions - to relevant legislative committees by January 31, 2026. This bill directly affects Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system and the process for reviewing it, with no immediate changes to existing evaluation methods.