Sen. Brent Taylor

Maddy summaryThis law, known as the Parental Accountability Act, requires parents or guardians to pay a $1,000 fine if their child is found guilty of a second or later delinquent offense. The fine is assessed against the adult who had custody of the child at the time of the crime, but it can be replaced with community service if the parent is determined to be indigent. This rule applies to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2024, and changes how courts handle repeat juvenile delinquency cases in Tennessee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires specific state regulatory boards within the Departments of Commerce and Insurance and Health to provide written advisory rulings when individuals request guidance on matters within their professional scope. These rulings are intended solely for the person who asked for them and do not set a precedent for other cases or future decisions. While the boards must issue these opinions upon request, they retain the discretion to resolve any disputes regarding the rulings through existing legal procedures. The legislation also includes several technical amendments to the state code that remove outdated or redundant provisions related to health-related boards.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows law enforcement officers to execute search warrants for medical records or blood alcohol and drug tests anywhere in Tennessee, rather than restricting them to the specific county where the warrant was originally issued. By removing the geographic limitation, the law enables officers to follow legal procedures for obtaining these records and tests across state lines without needing to reissue the warrant in a new location. The change applies to all law enforcement officers within the state and takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis enacted law establishes rules for third-party groups that collect voter registration forms in Tennessee. It requires these organizations to register with election officials before operating and mandates that they provide a receipt to every applicant who submits a form. The bill also prohibits anyone with certain felony convictions from handling registration applications and bans pre-filled forms or unauthorized alterations to the documents. Additionally, it sets specific civil penalties for violations of these new requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Tennessee magistrates from considering a defendant's financial situation when setting bail amounts. The law requires judges to focus solely on ensuring the defendant appears in court and protecting public safety, rather than whether the person can afford to pay. By removing financial condition from the legal criteria, the measure aims to prevent wealth from influencing bail decisions. This change applies to all criminal cases where bail is set in Tennessee.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Tennessee education law to change the required notice period for a specific administrative action from ten days to fourteen days. It directly affects local boards of education by adjusting the timeline they must follow when handling certain procedural matters. The change applies immediately upon the bill's effective date and does not alter the underlying authority or scope of existing education programs.

Maddy summaryThis law changes how Tennessee handles cases where someone intentionally blocks a road or path used by vehicles. Under the new rules, such an act is now considered a more serious felony rather than a minor misdemeanor. Additionally, the bill allows people who get hurt or lose money because of this blocking to sue the person who did it for financial compensation. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis law makes it a Class A misdemeanor for anyone to knowingly break the rules set for their release on bail. It allows police officers to arrest people who violate these conditions without needing a warrant first. The bill also clarifies that breaking bail rules should not result in two separate criminal convictions if the same actions caused both charges. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to all individuals released on bail in Tennessee.

Maddy summaryThis law updates how Tennessee manages the state's pre-need funeral account, which holds money from contracts people sign to pay for future funeral services. The bill requires that all interest earned on these funds stays in the account to support the registration program and help cover costs if a funeral company goes out of business. It also sets a minimum balance of one million dollars in the account, allowing the state to raise an administrative fee to twenty dollars if the balance falls below that level. Additionally, the law clarifies that the state cannot be held liable for actions taken by officials managing this program.