Tennessee Bills

SB 2504 amends Tennessee law to require the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) to submit specific recommendations to the General Assembly about disaster preparedness, prevention, and mitigation strategies. These recommendations must address both eliminating emergencies or reducing their impact and improving disaster response. The bill directly affects TEMA, which must now provide these recommendations, and the General Assembly, which will review them. This changes TEMA’s existing duties under Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 58-2-106(b) and related provisions.

HB 2518 requires Tennessee's Department of General Services and Department of Environment and Conservation to submit annual reports on state recycling efforts to the General Assembly by December 31 each year. The bill amends specific sections of state law (TCA Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, and 68) to establish this reporting requirement. These reports will detail actions taken under existing recycling programs, providing transparency on state agency recycling activities. The bill does not change recycling practices or set new recycling targets, but mandates regular reporting to lawmakers.

SB 2367 amends Tennessee law to apply the Neighborhood Preservation Act and authorize participation in the Tennessee Local Land Bank Program specifically for Tipton County. It adjusts population thresholds in two statutes to include counties with 60,900-61,000 residents (based on the 2020 census), which matches Tipton County's population. This change directly affects Tipton County residents and local officials by enabling the county to access these existing state programs. The bill makes no new policy changes but adjusts eligibility criteria to include Tipton County for established programs.

SB 2450 allows Tennessee local governments (like cities and counties) to publish certain public notices online instead of in newspapers, starting July 1, 2027. Local governments must first adopt a policy and pass an ordinance detailing how electronic notices will be posted, ensuring they are free, accessible to all, and meet security and retention standards. The bill requires electronic notices to be available across common platforms without barriers, while maintaining newspaper publication for notices specifically mandated by law to be printed. Third-party websites hosting these notices may charge a reasonable fee for the service.

HB 2614 deletes an outdated requirement from Tennessee law that previously forced state agencies with motor vehicle fleets larger than 10 vehicles to create and implement plans to reduce gasoline and diesel use by January 2015. The bill removes Section 4-22-101 of Tennessee Code, which was no longer in effect or relevant. This change directly affects state agencies that manage vehicle fleets but has no ongoing policy impact, as the requirement was obsolete. The legislation is procedural, simply removing an outdated legal provision without creating new obligations.

HB 2140 creates a registry within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for individuals convicted of specific retail theft crimes, including those using masks, fake license plates, or anti-theft devices to commit offenses. The registry will include personal details like name, date of birth, conviction date, and offense type, maintained by TBI for law enforcement access only. It automatically removes names after 10 years from the most recent conviction unless a court orders expungement or death is verified. This applies to convictions under Tennessee Code Sections 39-14-113 (organized retail theft) and 39-14-146 (related offenses).

HB 2413, the "Tennessee Child Care Red Tape Reduction Act," streamlines licensing for child care agencies by requiring local governments to process permit applications within 5 business days (matching affordable housing priority) and issue final decisions within 90 days. It grants exclusive authority to the state fire marshal - not local fire departments - to conduct fire safety inspections for licensing, establishes uniform statewide safety standards, and prohibits duplicative local inspections. The bill also allows child care agencies to operate as "use by right" in most commercial zones (including residential for home-based care) with limited, non-discriminatory conditions. These changes directly affect child care providers, local permitting offices, and state fire safety enforcement, aiming to reduce regulatory barriers while maintaining safety.

HB 2114 allows Tennessee local governments (like cities and counties) to publish certain public notices online instead of in print newspapers, starting July 1, 2027. Local governments must first adopt a written policy and pass an ordinance detailing how electronic notices will be posted, ensuring free public access, security, and accessibility for all users. The policy must specify retention periods, standardized notice formats, and legally compliant posting rules, while requiring third-party websites to charge only reasonable fees for hosting. Notices still required by law to appear in print newspapers must continue to be published that way.

HB 2341 prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 at private parties or events in Tennessee. It requires event owners or operators to provide proof they took reasonable steps to prevent underage service when requesting event approval. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 57-4-101 to establish this age restriction and documentation requirement. This directly affects private event hosts, venues, and organizers who serve alcohol at gatherings. The law aims to enforce minimum drinking age rules at unlicensed private events.

HB 2172 changes the deadline for Tennessee's Alcoholic Beverage Commission to submit its biennial report on preventing underage drinking, drunk driving, and other alcohol-related harms. The bill shortens the submission date from February 15 to February 1 in each odd-numbered year. This amendment affects the commission's reporting schedule and requires the legislature to receive the report earlier. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57 and Title 67, to update this requirement.

SB 2237 requires local governments in Tennessee (municipalities, counties, or metropolitan counties) to review development applications, plans, or site inspections within 30 business days - either approving them or providing a consolidated written list of deficiencies. If deficiencies aren’t resolved after two written reports, the application must be denied with justification, and 50% of fees paid by the developer must be refunded. The bill also mandates that changes to contracts between local governments and developers/contractors must be in writing, and requires releasing financial bonds within 30 days of an independent inspector confirming project completion. These provisions directly affect developers, contractors, and local government agencies handling development projects.

HB 2301 makes it a serious crime (Class D felony) to intentionally spike food, drinks, or medicines to cause involuntary intoxication, bodily harm, or death. It directly affects bars, restaurants, and other venues that sell alcohol by requiring them to provide free, rapid drug testing devices for customers to check suspected spiked drinks. The bill specifies these devices must detect at least 10 controlled substances and date rape drugs within 5 minutes, be U.S.-made, and be available upon request. Venues must also display notices about the testing service and ensure devices are unexpired. The law takes effect in 2026.