Sen. Raumesh Akbari

Maddy summaryThis resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to permit bingo games conducted by charitable organizations (501(c)(3)) and veterans' groups (501(c)(19)) for charitable, nonprofit, or community service purposes. The amendment would allow these tax-exempt organizations to use bingo as a fundraising tool without violating current constitutional restrictions. It requires that such bingo games be implemented uniformly statewide through legislative rules established by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Maddy summarySB 1701 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to establish a database tracking demographic information (such as race and age) and treatment options for women diagnosed with uterine fibroids, to be available by January 1, 2027. The database will be used solely for research and must protect patient privacy under confidentiality laws. Additionally, the department must publish existing educational resources online highlighting racial disparities in diagnosis and non-hysterectomy treatment options to increase public awareness of uterine fibroids. This bill directly affects women with uterine fibroids and healthcare providers by improving access to relevant health information.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJR 206) is a commemorative resolution designating December 14 as "Hazel Moore Day" in Tennessee. It honors Hazel Moore, a Whitehaven, Tennessee community leader recognized for founding youth programs like the Academy of Youth Empowerment, organizing health fairs, and receiving awards for her service. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it is purely ceremonial, formally recognizing Moore's contributions to community development. The Tennessee Senate unanimously passed the resolution on April 7, 2025, to celebrate her legacy.

Maddy summarySB 517 allows Tennessee public schools and charter schools to count up to four days of their required 180-day school year as hybrid learning (combining in-person and remote instruction) during dangerous weather or emergencies, as determined by school leaders. It mandates at least four hours of daily instruction for kindergarten students and six and a half hours for grades 1-12 on these hybrid days. Schools must track attendance through daily student participation verification and ensure students with individualized education programs (IEPs) receive required services during hybrid learning. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1420 requires written driver's license and intermediate license exams in Tennessee to include questions about bicycle hand signals used for turning, slowing, and stopping. This affects all applicants seeking new driver licenses or intermediate licenses. The bill mandates that the official driver manual must also include sufficient information about these hand signals to help applicants prepare. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 586 amends Tennessee's unlawful exposure law (TCA § 39-17-318) to clarify that distributing a private intimate image of another identifiable person with intent to cause emotional distress is illegal - regardless of whether the distributor was part of the original private agreement about the image. This directly affects individuals who share such images non-consensually, including those who received them from others. The key provision removes the previous requirement that the distributor must have been a party to the original private agreement. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, strengthening protections against non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

Maddy summarySB 231 requires Tennessee health insurance plans to cover speech therapy specifically for stuttering, including both habilitative (helping learn or improve communication skills) and rehabilitative (helping restore lost skills) services. The law prohibits annual visit limits, prior authorization, restrictions based on the cause of stuttering, and excludes utilization review for these services, while mandating coverage for both in-person and telehealth options. This requirement applies to health benefit plans renewing or issuing policies on or after July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects insured individuals seeking speech therapy for stuttering and insurers offering health coverage in Tennessee.

Maddy summarySB 233 creates a 9-member conservatorship management task force in Tennessee to review and improve the state's conservatorship system. The task force, composed of state agency representatives and public appointees (including judges and legal services advocates), will examine conservator care, asset management, fraud detection, public education, and oversight mechanisms. It must submit its first report to state agencies by December 31, 2025, and annually thereafter. This bill directly affects conservators, individuals under conservatorship, and state agencies managing these cases. The task force has no paid members and will operate under the Department of Disability and Aging.

Maddy summarySB 1423 requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to include two specific reading assessment results on every K-8 student's report card each school year: the student's score from the universal reading screener (if administered) and the most recent dyslexia screener results (if applicable). This applies to all local school boards and public charter school governing bodies starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The law mandates that these results be provided directly to parents or guardians alongside standard academic grades. It does not change teaching methods or funding but ensures families receive standardized reading progress data.

Maddy summarySB 1166 requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to annually report to legislative leaders on DUI arrests where no alcohol or intoxicants were detected in the person's blood or breath. Specifically, the TBI must submit a report by January 1 each year (starting in 2026) detailing these cases from the most recent complete data year, including the arresting law enforcement agency. The bill affects the TBI (as the reporting entity) and the Tennessee General Assembly (as the recipient of the data). This provision amends Tennessee law to create a new annual reporting requirement under Title 38, focusing solely on data collection without changing DUI penalties or procedures.