Sen. Rusty Crowe

Maddy summarySJR 661 is a memorial resolution passed by the Tennessee General Assembly to honor Kenneth Harlan Green, a former Daniel Boone High School football coach, history teacher, and assistant principal in Johnson City. The resolution commemorates his 29-year career in education and coaching, his community service, and his legacy of integrity, while expressing condolences to his surviving family members. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but formally recognizes Green's contributions to education and his community.

Maddy summarySJR 691 is a memorial resolution honoring Robert Chris "Bob" Carroll, a Johnson City resident who served as a Carter County constable for over 50 years and held leadership roles in the Tennessee Constable Association. The resolution commemorates his decades of public service, including his work as a bus driver, community volunteer, and firefighter, while expressing condolences to his family. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, as it is a ceremonial tribute to Carroll's life and contributions. The resolution was passed unanimously by both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SJR 621) honoring Robert Allan Clark for his retirement as a Veterans Service Officer with Tennessee's Division of Veterans Services. It recognizes his 10-year service (2015-2025), military background (including Desert Shield/Storm deployments), and work helping over 5,000 veterans access benefits. The resolution formally expresses the General Assembly's gratitude for his service and awards him the division's highest honor, Advocate of the Year (2019). As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact and solely serves to acknowledge his contributions.

Maddy summarySB 2436 requires Tennessee health insurance companies to approve a healthcare provider’s credentialing application within two weeks when the provider relocates to a new practice group or facility that is already credentialed by the same insurer. This applies specifically to providers who were previously approved at their prior location and move to a new location within the insurer’s network. The bill creates a new rule (Section 56-7-1001(j)) that shortens the approval timeline for these specific relocation cases. It directly affects healthcare providers seeking to change practice locations within the same insurer’s network and the insurers themselves. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, for applications submitted on or after that date.

Maddy summarySB 2583 reduces Tennessee's standard early voting period from 15 days to seven days for most elections, requiring voters to cast ballots between five and seven days before election day. It directly affects all Tennessee voters participating in regular elections who use early voting, shortening the window to access ballots at county election offices. The bill also maintains a 14-day early voting period specifically for presidential preference primaries, as noted in Section 2. This change modifies existing voting procedures without altering voter eligibility or ballot types.

Maddy summarySB 2432 changes the annual reporting deadline for school safety compliance in Tennessee from February 1 to October 1. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-6-810, requiring the Commissioner of Education and Commissioner of Safety to jointly report to the governor and legislature on the implementation of the "Schools Against Violence in Education Act" by October 1 each year instead of February 1. This adjustment only affects the timing of the report, not the content or requirements of the reporting. The bill directly impacts the state education and safety agencies responsible for submitting these annual compliance updates. It is a procedural change with no substantive policy alterations.

Maddy summarySB 2425 requires TennCare to separately evaluate an individual's physical and mental conditions when determining eligibility for residential facility benefits, such as nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities. This change applies to all individuals seeking these benefits under Tennessee's Medicaid program. The bill mandates that eligibility scoring must assess physical health and mental health as distinct factors, rather than combining them. It directly affects TennCare beneficiaries applying for or receiving residential care services. The policy change aims to ensure more precise eligibility assessments by addressing physical and mental health needs independently.

Maddy summarySB 2435 extends the required public review period for hospital strategic planning and marketing documents from seven to ten days before a hospital board votes to adopt such plans. This change applies directly to hospitals participating in Tennessee's TennCare program and requires them to provide the public with a longer notice period for review. The bill amends Tennessee Code Section 68-11-238 to implement this 3-day extension, focusing solely on procedural timing without altering healthcare benefits or funding.

Maddy summarySB 2093 creates an administrative attachment between the Doe Mountain Recreation Authority (DMRA) and Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for administrative support only, such as staff hiring, while preserving the DMRA's operational independence and autonomy in all other matters. The bill makes DMRA staff full-time DEC employees eligible for state benefits like retirement, health insurance, and adherence to DEC's personnel policies. It also requires the DMRA to undergo audits by the comptroller of the treasury (with the option to hire an independent auditor) and submit an annual report to state officials, including the governor and legislative leaders. This bill directly affects the DMRA's administrative structure and staff management without altering its core responsibilities.

Maddy summarySB 2091 changes Tennessee's third-grade retention policy from mandatory to optional for public schools and charter schools. It revises state law to allow local education agencies to *choose* whether to retain a third grader who hasn't demonstrated basic reading or English language arts skills, rather than requiring retention. This policy shift directly affects third-grade students in Tennessee public schools and charter schools, shifting the decision from a legal requirement to a school-level option. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 49-6-3115 and 49-1-905(d) and takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.