Sen. Becky Massey

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate Joint Resolution that formally honors Pope's Garden Center on its 50th anniversary. It recognizes the family-owned business for its five decades of operation in East Tennessee, highlighting its growth from a wholesale vegetable plant operation to multiple retail locations. The resolution serves as a commemorative acknowledgment of the company's contributions to the local economy and community, with no changes to laws or regulations. The document is intended for presentation to the business as a gesture of appreciation rather than for implementation.

Maddy summarySJR 657 is a resolution approving Davidson County's "Choose How You Move" transportation program projects for Nolensville Pike, Gallatin Pike, and Downtown corridors. It specifically authorizes the inclusion of bus rapid transit systems in these corridors, subject to Tennessee Department of Transportation oversight. The resolution enables Davidson County to use voter-approved local funding (a 2024 sales tax surcharge) to secure federal grants by providing required local matching funds. This directly affects Davidson County residents, commuters, and businesses by advancing projects aimed at reducing congestion and improving transit safety on these heavily traveled routes. The approval is procedural, not a new law, and follows Tennessee law requiring General Assembly consent for bus rapid transit projects on state highways.

Maddy summarySB 2358 amends Tennessee law to adjust the scope of practice for podiatrists by changing the anatomical boundary of the lower leg they can treat. The bill replaces the current limit - "soft tissue structures extending no higher than the distal tibial metaphyseal flair" - with "the soft tissue of the lower leg below the tibial tuberosity." This change directly affects podiatrists in Tennessee by expanding the area they are legally permitted to treat without additional authorization. The amendment updates Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, to reflect this adjustment in medical practice boundaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commemorative resolution that recognizes the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville on its 75th anniversary. It directly affects the association by formally acknowledging its 75 years of service to the construction and home building industry in East Tennessee. The resolution highlights the association's role in connecting over 500 members from various construction professions and its work in education, advocacy, and community involvement. No new laws or regulations are created; the bill serves only to honor the organization's contributions to housing and economic development in the region.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates June 12, 2026, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" in Tennessee. It honors the service of Tennessee's over 40,000 women veterans, recognizing their historical and ongoing contributions from the Revolutionary War through modern conflicts. The resolution commemorates milestones like the 1948 Women Armed Services Integration Act and highlights a planned Women Veterans Appreciation Week (June 7-13, 2026). It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges women veterans' service through state recognition. The resolution was introduced and passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in early 2026.

Maddy summarySB 172 creates a state grant program to help Tennessee colleges address student hunger. It requires participating higher education institutions (public universities, community colleges, and accredited private schools in Tennessee) to establish campus food pantries or partner with existing ones, form student-inclusive hunger task forces, and submit annual reports on their efforts. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission will administer the program using funds from a new dedicated grant fund (composed of state appropriations and donations). Grants can be used for student meal credit programs, meal vouchers, or supporting food pantries, but the bill specifies no funding is allocated until the legislature appropriates it in the annual budget.

Maddy summarySB 2360 allows repair shops (garagekeepers) to legally store a vehicle for repairs without the owner's written permission for storage, provided they first make a good-faith effort to get the owner's consent and send certified mail notice of the storage intent to the owner's last known address. If the owner doesn't respond within 30 days (or 30 days after receiving a return receipt), the repair shop may enforce a lien to recover costs. The bill requires shops to document their consent attempt and mailing, including certified mail receipts. This directly affects vehicle owners who don't authorize storage and repair shops seeking to secure payment for services.

Maddy summarySB 175 changes Tennessee's parole and furlough rules for inmates with serious medical conditions. It removes the requirement that an inmate must be "chronically debilitated" to be certified for parole, and expands eligibility for furloughs when an inmate cannot perform basic daily tasks in prison due to a medical condition. The bill affects inmates with health issues that limit their ability to manage daily activities in a correctional setting. These changes update Tennessee Code Sections 40-35-501 (parole eligibility) and 41-21-227 (furlough criteria), but the bill remains pending in the Senate.

Maddy summarySB 1624 requires political advertisements using deepfake technology (fake audio or video depicting a candidate) to include a clear disclaimer stating the content is not real. For audio ads, the disclaimer must appear at the start and end; for video ads, it must be visible throughout the entire ad. The law applies to ads falsely portraying a candidate speaking or acting in a way they did not actually do, with a 120-day window before elections for non-incumbent candidates. Violating this requirement is a Class C misdemeanor, and the affected candidate can seek financial damages and court-ordered relief.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a joint resolution that formally honors Carrie Brooks, a fine arts teacher at Carter Elementary School, for being selected as a 2026 Tennessee Arts Academy Teacher Hero. The resolution recognizes her dedication to teaching and her impact on students and the community, acknowledging the Tennessee Arts Academy as the state's premier professional development program for arts educators. It does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves as an official commendation from the Tennessee General Assembly. The document is ceremonial in nature and does not affect funding, regulations, or legal requirements.