Tennessee Bills

HB 83 requires cities that do not provide their own ambulance services to reimburse counties for ambulance services provided within their boundaries. The reimbursement amount is capped at 50% of the total cost and calculated based on the city's population relative to the county's population using the latest federal census data. The bill also mandates the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study the financial impact of this requirement on local governments and submit a report with findings and recommendations. This affects cities and counties that share ambulance service responsibilities, directly changing how costs are shared between municipal and county governments.

HB 938 creates a new "bait privilege license" allowing hunters to use bait for whitetail deer or wild swine on privately owned or leased land in Tennessee. This license is required in addition to a standard hunting license, and even hunters otherwise exempt from regular licenses must obtain it. The law prohibits baiting on public land or for other wildlife, and the wildlife agency can suspend baiting privileges to manage disease risks. Violations would be punishable as a Class C misdemeanor.

This bill (HB 456) requires corporations to report certain campaign-related spending as a "political campaign committee" under Tennessee law. Specifically, if a corporation uses its own funds for communications expressly supporting or opposing a candidate *without* the candidate's cooperation, consent, or consultation, those expenditures must now be disclosed like campaign committee spending. This directly affects corporations that run such ads independently, shifting their reporting obligations under campaign finance rules. The change amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 10, to clarify these disclosure requirements.

HB 322 creates a new criminal offense of "human smuggling" under Tennessee law, directly affecting individuals who transport people across borders for financial gain while concealing them from authorities. The bill defines human smuggling as transporting 10+ adults or 5+ minors (knowing they entered the U.S. illegally) to avoid detection by law enforcement, or encouraging such entry. It classifies this as a Class E felony, punishable by up to 6 years in prison, and adds misdemeanor penalties for harboring individuals who entered the U.S. illegally. The law also grants the state attorney general authority to seek court orders dissolving organizations involved in trafficking or smuggling.

HB 393 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to pay $85 monthly from existing budget funds to correctional officers (active or retired) who take custody of retired service dogs. The payment covers the dog's medical care only, with officers required to submit annual medical records by June 1 and report the dog's death within 30 days. The bill applies specifically to canines retired due to age, injury, or other reasons, and the payments end upon the dog's death. This policy change provides direct financial support for retired service dogs' healthcare without altering officer salaries or benefits.

HB 842 redirects 50% of Tennessee's real estate transfer tax revenue (currently $0.37 per $100 of property value) back to the county where the tax was collected, starting July 1, 2025. This change applies to all property transfers after that date and directly affects Tennessee counties, providing them with new local revenue to fund services and infrastructure. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 67-4-409 to require the state to return these funds to counties based on the total tax collected in each jurisdiction. This policy shift aims to ease county budget pressures from rising costs and population growth without increasing the tax rate.

HB 930 allows counties participating in Tennessee's homebuyers' revolving loan program to end their involvement if they've lent more than their initial capitalization. Specifically, counties can terminate by notifying the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) and retain all funds in the loan pool, including the original capitalization and interest earned from repayments. This amendment to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13, Chapter 23, directly affects participating counties managing these loan funds. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and provides counties with greater flexibility to manage their financial obligations under the program.

HB 1325 establishes Tennessee's Farmland Preservation Fund to support conservation easements on farmland and forestland. The bill creates a dedicated fund within the state general fund (administered by the Department of Agriculture) that provides grants for landowners to place permanent conservation easements on their property, held by qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Key provisions require land to remain in agricultural or forestry use, prohibit selling or transferring easements acquired through the grant, and mandate unspent funds carry forward annually. This directly affects Tennessee landowners seeking to preserve their property through conservation agreements and qualified nonprofit easement holders. The policy change formalizes a grant program to secure long-term land preservation without restricting farming or forestry activities.

HB 915 amends Tennessee state law to grant eligible full-time employees up to six paid workweeks of leave per year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. This applies to state employees who have worked full-time for at least 12 consecutive months, in addition to existing leave for childbirth or adoption. The bill defines "family member" broadly to include children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, grandparents, and others with close familial ties, and "serious health condition" as requiring hospitalization or ongoing medical treatment. Employees must provide 30 days' notice (or as soon as possible if unexpected) and the leave must be used within 12 months of the qualifying event. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

HB 675 amends Tennessee education law to change how teachers and principals are evaluated. It requires 60% of their evaluations to be based on student achievement data - 35% from growth measures like the state’s TVAAS system and 25% from other approved metrics, with teachers/principals agreeing on the specific measures used. The bill directly affects all public school teachers and principals in Tennessee, impacting decisions about their promotion, retention, and compensation. Key mechanisms include rules for challenging evaluation accuracy, using alternative growth models for non-tested subjects, and ensuring evaluations align with teaching assignments. (Note: The bill’s title mentions an advisory committee, but the actual provisions focus on evaluation rules, not committee creation.)

HB 1164 allows uniformed law enforcement officers in Tennessee to wear military medals, badges, or service decorations earned from the U.S. Armed Forces, Tennessee National Guard, or State Guard during specific periods around Veterans Day and Memorial Day. This includes the week before, the holiday itself, and the day after each observance. The bill permits this temporary wearing, though employers may still prohibit it if they determine it poses a safety risk to officers or the public. The policy directly affects Tennessee law enforcement personnel during these designated holiday periods.

HB 761 removes a specific definition of "content harmful to minors" from Tennessee's Protect Tennessee Minors Act by deleting subsection (b)(5) of Tennessee Code Section 39-17-912. This amendment directly affects the statutory language of the law, altering how the term is defined within the code. The bill makes no new requirements or penalties but changes the existing legal framework by eliminating this definition from the statute. The change took effect upon becoming law (Public Chapter 405).