Maddy summarySB 2501 requires Shelby County (population over 900,000 per census) to establish a county ethics commission by January 1, 2027. The commission, composed of six members (two appointed by the county mayor and four by the county legislative body with balanced party representation), will provide ethical guidance to officials, handle citizen complaints about county conduct, and investigate alleged violations. Commissioners must meet specific residency, age, and ethical standards, and cannot hold county office or be affiliated with party committees. The bill mandates the commission to set meeting procedures, conduct investigations, and refer criminal matters to law enforcement, but only applies to Shelby County due to its population size.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 2686 creates the "Office of Resilience" within the governor's office to coordinate Tennessee's climate resilience efforts. The office will develop a statewide resilience plan, track progress on climate goals, coordinate with state agencies and local governments, and provide technical guidance for climate-related projects. It does not directly regulate businesses or residents but requires state departments to support these coordination efforts. The bill establishes a Chief Resilience Officer appointed by the governor to lead these initiatives, focusing on planning for climate threats like flooding and extreme heat.
Maddy summarySB 2517 (Tennessee) changes the deadline for the coordinator of elections to file post-election reports following convenience voting pilot projects, moving it from January 31 to January 15. This affects the election coordinator who must submit these reports to the Senate and House local government committees. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 2, Section 2-3-307, to implement this deadline adjustment. The change applies specifically to reports related to convenience voting pilot projects.
Maddy summarySB 2679, titled the "Bring Our National Guard Home Act," requires Tennessee's governor to cancel all orders deploying National Guard members outside the state and recall those personnel within five business days of the bill's effective date. This law directly affects National Guard members currently serving outside Tennessee and mandates specific action by the governor to bring them home. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Titles 4 and 58, and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
Maddy summarySB 2687 creates the Tennessee Agriculture Recovery and Investment in Family Farm (TARIFF) Relief Fund, a $130 million state fund to provide financial assistance to Tennessee family farmers. The bill directly affects family farmers who own or lease at least 15 acres of farmland, earned $1,500+ annually in agricultural income, and faced high input costs or market losses due to tariffs on agricultural goods or equipment. It authorizes grants of up to $10,000 per farmer to offset these tariff-related losses, with applications requiring proof of financial need. The fund, sourced from the state’s revenue fluctuation reserve, must be spent by June 2027, and misuse of funds would trigger penalties under Tennessee’s False Claims Act.
Maddy summarySB 2496 prohibits Tennessee hospitals from negotiating or entering anti-competitive agreements with other hospitals or engaging in anti-competitive conduct. It also bans the use of state funds to support activities that supervise such anti-competitive behavior in healthcare. The bill amends the 1993 Hospital Cooperation Act to end the state's prior policy of allowing hospital mergers under state oversight, which the legislature determined failed to protect public interests. This law applies to new contracts and agreements executed on or after its effective date.
Maddy summarySB 2500 removes an outdated section of Tennessee law that created a judicial district advisory task force. This task force was established to review judicial district boundaries but completed its work and disbanded after submitting its 2019 report, making the statute obsolete. The bill deletes the redundant provision from Tennessee Code Annotated, Titles 16 and 17, to streamline the legal code. It has no direct impact on citizens or active judicial processes, as it only addresses a defunct administrative structure.
Maddy summarySB 2420 (Tennessee) shortens the deadline for holding sentencing hearings in criminal cases from 45 days to 30 days after a guilty verdict. This change directly affects defendants convicted of crimes and the state court system, requiring faster scheduling of sentencing. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections in Titles 38, 39, and 40 to implement this timeline reduction. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySB 2685 requires Tennessee food manufacturers and retailers to affix a specific warning label on products containing certain chemical ingredients if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates disclosure of those ingredients and the product is intended for human consumption. The bill lists over 30 chemicals - including artificial colors (like Yellow 5 and Red 40), preservatives (like BHA and BHT), and trans fats (like partially hydrogenated oil) - that would trigger the labeling requirement. The warning label must state: "WARNING: This product contains a chemical ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the FDA," in a font size no smaller than other required labels, and must appear on the product or the retailer’s website. Exemptions include products not for human consumption, restaurant-use items, USDA-regulated foods, and products already labeled with FDA warnings, with the law taking effect January 1, 2027.
Maddy summarySB 2008 establishes the "Climate Resiliency Fund" to finance climate adaptation projects across Tennessee. It requires fossil fuel businesses (like coal and oil operations) that existed between 1995 and 2026 to pay cost recovery charges into the fund. The fund will support concrete projects such as flood protections, infrastructure upgrades, nature-based solutions, and healthcare programs addressing climate impacts like extreme weather and heat waves. Priority funding is directed to environmental justice communities facing higher climate burdens due to income, race, or language barriers.