Tennessee Bills

SB 1223 requires all Tennessee students participating in school youth sports to submit a preparticipation medical evaluation form signed by a healthcare provider (valid within the past year) or an exemption statement signed by their parent/guardian or the student if 18+. It establishes the Safe Stars Advisory Committee, tasked with developing educational materials about sudden cardiac arrest warning signs, EKG testing options, and safety guidelines for students, parents, and coaches. The committee must publish these resources on state education and health department websites and review them annually. This law directly affects student athletes, school districts, and healthcare providers in Tennessee, effective July 1, 2025.

HB 946 requires applicants and electric utilities to conduct and submit site assessments before local governments approve zoning changes or permits for new high energy use facilities (HEUFs), defined as projects needing 100+ megawatts of power (including large data centers). The assessments must examine sound impacts on homes and schools within 500 feet, as well as effects on water, agriculture, parks, and historic sites. Electric utilities must also detail required power infrastructure like new substations and transmission voltage. This bill directly affects developers of large energy projects, local zoning authorities, and electric utilities, applying only to new facilities - not expansions under 100 MW.

HB 789 removes a requirement that students with documented intellectual disabilities must enroll in an eligible postsecondary program within 16 months of graduating high school to qualify for Tennessee's STEP UP scholarship. This change directly affects students with intellectual disabilities seeking the STEP UP scholarship by extending their enrollment timeline for eligibility. The bill amends Tennessee Code §49-4-943(b)(4) and related sections, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond. It modifies an existing eligibility rule without creating new programs or funding.

HB 1301 revives civil lawsuits for sexual assault that were legally closed due to expired time limits, specifically for victims who were 18 or older when the assault occurred. It allows these cases to be filed between six months and two years after July 1, 2025. The bill amends Tennessee laws (Titles 28, 39, and 40) to cover defined offenses like rape, sexual battery, and incest. This change applies only to cases barred by statute of limitations before July 1, 2025, and does not affect cases involving minors.

HB 1233 amends Tennessee bail bond law to allow professional bondsmen to provide and retain digital receipts for money or other consideration paid, instead of requiring only paper receipts. It directly affects bail bondsmen and their clients by updating the receipt requirements in Title 40, Chapter 11 of Tennessee Code. The key provision replaces "furnish a receipt" with "furnish a written or digital receipt" and modifies duplicate copy retention to include digital formats. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, modernizing administrative processes for bail bond transactions.

HB 704 adds William R. Moore College of Technology as an eligible institution for two state financial aid programs: the Wilder-Naifeh technical skills grant and Wilder-Naifeh reconnect grant. It specifies that students at this college enrolled in qualifying programs will receive scholarships covering the average tuition and fees at Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), minus other gift aid like Pell Grants or state scholarships. This change directly affects students at William R. Moore College seeking these grants, aligning their aid calculation with TCAT rates rather than their institution’s specific costs. The bill amends Tennessee’s education code to implement these eligibility and funding adjustments, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year.

HB 1451 requires every Tennessee county to establish an ethics commission by January 1, 2027. Each commission must have six members: two appointed by the county mayor and four by the county legislative body, with equal representation from majority and minority parties. The commissions will provide ethical guidance to county officials, receive and investigate citizen complaints about misconduct, and have authority to subpoena witnesses, issue advisory opinions, and refer criminal violations to law enforcement. This bill directly affects all 95 Tennessee counties and their elected and appointed county officials.

SB 2491, the "Safe Access to Schools and Child Services Act," prohibits public schools, local governments (including counties and municipalities), state agencies, and child service providers from requiring disclosure of a child’s immigration status as a condition for enrollment, attendance, or receiving services for children under 18. The law applies to public schools, charter schools, state departments, and local entities like utility districts, with exceptions only when federal or state law or a court order explicitly requires disclosure. It explicitly clarifies that the prohibition does not prevent compliance with federal immigration law or required cooperation with federal authorities. The bill amends multiple Tennessee code sections to implement these requirements across education and child service systems.

HB 2483 amends Tennessee law to change the deadline by which local education agencies (LEAs) must report charter school authorizer fee data to the state board of education. Specifically, it shifts the required posting date on the state board's website from December 11 to December 15 each year. This bill directly affects LEAs operating charter schools, as they must collect and submit annual data on authorizer fees collected and obligations fulfilled. The change is purely procedural, adjusting a reporting deadline with no new requirements or policy shifts. It has no impact on funding, school operations, or student outcomes.

SB 2656 requires Tennessee's Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study homelessness in the state and identify effective strategies to address its rising prevalence. TACIR must complete this study using existing resources and submit a detailed report to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, the relevant House committee on homelessness, and the legislative librarian by January 31, 2027. This bill does not create new funding or programs but mandates a data-driven review to inform future legislative decisions on homelessness. The study aims to provide concrete recommendations for state lawmakers to address homelessness trends.

SB 2322 shortens the required public notice period for zoning hearings in Tennessee from 21 to 14 calendar days. This change directly affects local governments (like city councils or county commissions) that must notify the public before holding hearings to adopt or amend zoning ordinances. The bill amends specific sections of Tennessee law (including Title 13) to implement this reduced notice period. The key provision is a concrete policy change to the timing requirement for public engagement on zoning decisions.

SB 2287 requires Tennessee's Medicaid program (TennCare) to create a method for setting birthing center reimbursement rates that match hospital rates for similar services, with annual increases tied to hospital rate changes. It also directs the state health department to prioritize allocating federal rural health grant funds to birthing centers in rural counties, and to second priority to urban centers serving rural residents without local birthing options. This bill directly affects birthing centers (especially in rural areas) and Medicaid beneficiaries who use these services. The key changes are concrete: standardized reimbursement rates and targeted grant funding to improve access to maternity care in underserved regions.