Sen. Brent Taylor

Maddy summarySB 443 (Tennessee) extends the deadline for district attorneys general to submit annual funding reports from 90 to 120 days after each fiscal year. This change directly affects Tennessee district attorneys who must report funding to the Office of Executive Director for the District Attorneys General Conference. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Section 8-7-103(5), by updating the submission timeframe. It is a procedural adjustment with no new policy requirements or financial impacts.

Maddy summarySB 225 requires Tennessee health insurers to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as medical doctors for identical services, amending Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 56 and 63. It prohibits insurers from using separate payment codes or methodologies for chiropractic services compared to physician services, ensuring equal reimbursement based on nationally recognized coding systems like the CPT book. This applies to private health insurance plans but excludes TennCare, CoverKids, and government-provided insurance. The bill aims to eliminate reimbursement disparities for chiropractors offering equivalent services to medical doctors. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025, but failed in committee on March 25, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 671 reclassifies burglary of a vehicle (a "conveyance") from a Class E felony to a Class D felony under Tennessee law. This change directly affects individuals convicted of breaking into cars, trucks, or other vehicles. The bill modifies specific sections of Tennessee Code (39-13-1002 and 40-32-101) to reflect this updated felony classification. The policy change reduces the severity of penalties for this specific offense, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 2212 extends the deadline for estates of emergency responders killed in the line of duty to file claims and appeals. It changes the filing window from three years to the later of the death date or the date a court or official designates the death as duty-related, and extends appeal deadlines from 90 days to one year. The bill specifically adds formal appeal processes for estates of firefighters, volunteer rescue squad workers, and emergency medical technicians through designated commissions. These changes apply to Tennessee Code Annotated sections covering firefighter, law enforcement, and emergency medical services compensation. The bill takes effect retroactively to March 1, 2020.

Maddy summarySB 712 removes an outdated requirement from Tennessee law that previously mandated the comptroller's office of research and education accountability to submit a report about community schools to education committees by November 1, 2018. The bill deletes Section 49-6-2406 and updates related references in the law to eliminate this obsolete reporting obligation. This is a procedural cleanup that affects the comptroller's office and education committees by removing a now-inactive administrative task. The bill does not change community school policies or create new requirements, only removing a specific, expired reporting mandate.

Maddy summarySB 1473 would allow municipal courts to require cities to fix property maintenance violations when owners fail to correct them within 30 days. It mandates that cities perform the repairs and then place a lien on the property to recover the costs from the owner. This bill directly affects property owners who ignore local maintenance rules. If enacted, it would change enforcement by shifting repair costs to owners through a property lien instead of relying solely on fines.

Maddy summarySB 1930 amends Tennessee law to require that anyone convicted of second-degree murder (specifically for knowingly killing another) receive a minimum sentence as a Range II offender. This means judges cannot sentence such offenders below the standard Range II sentencing level, though sentences could still fall within Range III if warranted. The bill applies to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2026, and directly affects individuals convicted of second-degree murder in Tennessee. It changes the sentencing minimum without altering the maximum penalties for this crime.

Maddy summarySB 2258 amends Tennessee law to allow school security personnel (such as school safety officers or campus security staff) to review exterior bus camera footage when investigating vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses. This change directly affects local education agencies (LEAs) and their security staff, expanding their authority beyond current law enforcement-only review. The bill adds a new provision (c)(2)(B) to existing law, permitting LEAs to authorize security personnel to review evidence concurrently with law enforcement, while maintaining the existing requirement for LEAs to have a memorandum of understanding with local police. The policy change specifically modifies Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-8-151 to clarify this expanded review authority.

Maddy summarySB 672 increases penalties for obstructing public pathways in Tennessee. It upgrades obstruction of highways, streets, sidewalks, or similar areas from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. If someone intentionally blocks a highway or street used by vehicles, the penalty becomes a Class D felony. The bill directly affects individuals who interfere with public transportation routes, such as blocking roads during protests or accidents. The changes would take effect July 1, 2025, if passed.

Maddy summarySB 2200 requires Tennessee to gradually reduce state funding to counties and municipalities that experience population declines, rather than making immediate cuts. Instead of applying the full funding reduction at once, the state must phase it in over five years with 20% reductions each year (20% in year one, 40% total by year two, etc.), until the allocation matches the new population. This applies to local governments affected by annual population certifications from the Department of Economic and Community Development. The law also mandates recalculating reductions if a jurisdiction's population rebounds during the phase-in period. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.