Tennessee Bills

SB 1866 requires Tennessee chancery courts to appoint the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance as receiver or conservator for defendants found to have violated the Tennessee Securities Act of 1980, upon the Commissioner's request. This directly affects defendants in securities violation cases and streamlines oversight by the Commerce Department. The bill also updates related provisions, including clarifying statutes of limitations for securities claims and modifying procedures for expunging customer dispute records from industry databases. These changes aim to strengthen enforcement and administrative processes under the department's jurisdiction.

HB 1708 requires non-English speaking applicants for Tennessee driver licenses to receive a one-year restricted license (valid only for school, work, or medical appointments) and retake the written test in English to obtain a full license. It also mandates that vehicle owners provide proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, or temporary legal status when registering a vehicle. The bill directly affects non-English speaking residents applying for driver licenses and all vehicle owners registering vehicles in Tennessee. These provisions aim to ensure language proficiency for full driver privileges and verify legal status for vehicle registration.

HB 1522 exempts active-duty military service members stationed outside Tennessee (not at a shared military reservation) from paying the additional registration fee for all-electric vehicles when renewing their vehicle registration. To qualify, the service member must provide official stationing orders to the county clerk at the time of renewal and have the vehicle titled in their name (alone or with a spouse/relative). The bill amends Tennessee’s vehicle registration laws (TCA §55-4-116 and §55-6-107) to create this exemption, which takes effect July 1, 2026. It directly affects military personnel stationed out-of-state who own all-electric vehicles registered in Tennessee.

HB 1932 amends Tennessee law to change the redemption period for properties sold at tax sales based on how long taxes were delinquent. If property taxes were delinquent for three years or less, owners have one year to reclaim the property after the sale. If delinquency exceeded three years, the redemption window shortens to 90 days. This change directly affects homeowners who fall behind on property taxes and face tax sales, applying to sales confirmed on or after July 1, 2026.

SB 1777, the "Caring for Caregivers Act," creates a pilot program (2026-2029) providing financial grants to Tennessee family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's or related dementia. It directly affects caregivers who provide unpaid care to eligible family members needing assistance with at least two daily living activities (like bathing or dressing), live in private homes, and have household income below state median limits. The bill allows grants covering up to $6,000 annually for specific eligible expenses: home safety modifications, necessary medical equipment, or respite care, with priority to very low-income households. Grants continue if the care recipient temporarily stays in a hospital but plans to return home.

HB 1847 requires data center owners or operators (including for new construction, expansion, or upgrades) to pay the full cost of all infrastructure needed to support the data center, including utility infrastructure like power lines, substations, and cooling systems. This includes costs for utility infrastructure upgrades necessary to serve the data center without disrupting service to existing customers. The bill also mandates that electric utilities cannot pass these infrastructure costs to residential or other commercial customers through rate increases, ensuring existing customer rates remain unchanged due to data center operations. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to contracts entered into after that date.

SB 1757 amends Tennessee election law to require county election commissions to notify individuals who file petitions for recall, referendum, or initiative if their documentation contains errors or is incomplete. This directly affects petitioners seeking to trigger these election processes by providing them with specific feedback on missing or defective paperwork. The key provision adds a new requirement to state law (TCA Title 2) that commissions must proactively inform filers of defects, rather than simply rejecting incomplete submissions. The bill creates a clearer process for petitioners to correct issues before deadlines expire, without changing voting rules or outcomes.

HB 1632 amends Tennessee's Drycleaner's Environmental Response Act to clarify program definitions and expand cleanup coverage. It adds "soil gas vapor" (including sub-slab vapor and indoor air) to the types of contamination the drycleaner environmental response fund addresses, and updates definitions for "recently abandoned" facilities, "registered facilities," and "wholesale distribution." The bill also revises registration requirements, requiring drycleaning facilities and wholesale distributors to register annually to access the fund, with non-compliance risking removal. These changes primarily affect drycleaning businesses, wholesale solvent distributors, and the state environmental agency managing the fund.

SB 1726 amends Tennessee law to extend the deadline for court clerks to forward certified copies of domestic violence convictions to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) from seven calendar days to seven business days. This change, specified in Section 40-39-402(d)(2) of the Tennessee Code Annotated, excludes weekends and holidays from the timeline. It directly affects court clerks who process these documents and the TBI, which uses the information for tracking domestic violence cases. The amendment provides a more practical deadline for clerks while maintaining timely reporting requirements.

SB 2128 requires data center owners or operators to pay the full cost of all infrastructure (including roads, utility upgrades, and cooling systems) needed to support their facilities, such as new power lines or expanded water systems. It mandates that electric utilities ensure data centers cover the entire cost of infrastructure and electricity services, preventing rate increases for residential or other commercial customers due to data center demand. The bill allows utilities to create new billing categories for data centers if needed and establishes a complaint process for customers who believe utilities are violating these requirements. This policy directly affects data center developers, utilities, and non-data center customers by shifting infrastructure costs to the data center industry.

HB 1753 amends Tennessee law to allow governments providing emergency aid to request extra time to submit detailed cost invoices to the requesting government. Currently, responding agencies must submit itemized bills within 60 days after emergency assistance ends; this bill adds a provision for requesting additional time due to "extenuating circumstances." It directly affects local governments, counties, or agencies that assist other jurisdictions during emergencies like natural disasters. The change modifies Tennessee Code Annotated § 58-8-111(g) to clarify this extension process without altering emergency response procedures. This is a procedural adjustment focused on billing timelines, not policy substance.

HB 1914 amends Tennessee law to allow state veterans' homes to provide services beyond skilled nursing care to honorably discharged veterans, as permitted by state or federal law. This directly affects veterans who may need non-skilled care services, such as community support or transitional housing, at state facilities. The bill updates Section 58-7-101(e) to explicitly authorize these additional services while maintaining existing skilled nursing offerings. It also makes minor administrative updates to related sections regarding facility operations and contracts. The changes aim to expand care options for veterans without altering eligibility or funding mechanisms.