Tennessee Bills

HB 2237 requires Tennessee's Office of Research and Education Accountability (within the Comptroller's office) to submit an annual report on test results for education freedom scholarship recipients to the legislative librarian. This procedural bill amends Tennessee law to add this reporting requirement, directly affecting the Comptroller's office and the legislative librarian's office. It does not change scholarship eligibility or funding, only adding a new step for sharing existing test data with the legislature. The bill is focused on transparency through existing reporting mechanisms.

HB 2487 requires Tennessee municipalities forming infrastructure development districts to include a detailed breakdown of costs for each utility service (like water, sewer, or electricity) that will serve the district. This means local governing bodies must itemize all infrastructure funding costs per utility in their official establishment resolution, rather than listing them generally. The bill amends Tennessee statutes related to planning and public infrastructure to implement this transparency requirement. It directly affects municipalities creating such districts by mandating clearer cost disclosure for residents and stakeholders.

HB 2217 removes a provision that allowed the speaker of the Tennessee House or Senate to appoint a state legislator from a district that was part of a central business improvement district as of January 1, 1999, as an ex officio board member for certain regional authorities and special districts. This change eliminates an alternative appointment method for board members of these entities, affecting how their governance structures are composed. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated by deleting subdivision (2) from Section 7-84-519(d) in Title 7 and also affects Titles 9 and 67.

HB 2357 requires Tennessee's Commissioner of Revenue to annually report to the General Assembly, starting July 1, 2027, the total amount of sales and use tax refunds issued for major appliances, residential furniture, and building supplies to individuals who received federal disaster assistance. The bill does not change refund eligibility or amounts but mandates this specific tracking. It affects state reporting procedures and provides transparency on how disaster-related tax refunds are distributed. The requirement applies to existing refund processes under Tennessee tax law, as amended by this bill.

HB 2297 requires Tennessee elementary and secondary schools to display two signs (instead of one) in highly visible public areas accessible to students. Each sign must show the toll-free number for reporting child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children's Services. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Section 49-6-304, changing the requirement from one sign location to two. This directly affects all K-12 public and private schools in Tennessee. The policy change aims to increase student access to the reporting hotline by making the contact information more prominently available.

HB 2311 shortens the deadline for holding criminal sentencing hearings in Tennessee from 45 days to 30 days after a defendant is found guilty. This change directly affects all criminal defendants awaiting sentencing in Tennessee courts, as well as prosecutors and judges managing case timelines. The bill amends Tennessee Code Section 40-35-209(a) to update the statutory time limit, with no other substantive changes to sentencing procedures. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026, as specified in the bill text.

HB 2586 expands Tennessee's existing reporting requirements for the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council. It mandates that the council's 2026 and subsequent annual reports to the governor, Senate Speaker, and House Speaker must now include specific recommendations on detecting and minimizing AI-facilitated fraud. This bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections to add this new requirement to the council's reporting obligations, directly affecting the advisory council's work. The change focuses on strengthening oversight of AI risks without altering other aspects of the council's duties.

HB 701 removes an annual reporting requirement for Tennessee's Public Utility Commission (PUC). The bill deletes a provision mandating the PUC to submit to the legislature each year a report describing the competitive nature of the state's telecommunications market. This is a procedural change affecting only the PUC's reporting duties, with no new rules or direct impact on consumers, businesses, or utility providers. The legislation does not alter utility regulations or market oversight, solely eliminating an existing administrative task.

HB 2084 extends the deadline for state scholarship administrators to select beneficiaries and notify the college savings trust fund board. Specifically, it increases the required time from 30 to 45 days before the start of each academic term. This change directly affects state government entities that manage scholarships through educational investment plans. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 49-7-826(b) to reflect this 15-day extension.

HB 2066 changes a reporting deadline for Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation. It moves the annual report submission date from January 31 to January 15 each year to the chairs of two legislative committees (Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources; House Agriculture and Natural Resources). The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 69, specifically adjusting the timeline for the commissioner's report. This is a procedural change with no substantive policy impact, solely affecting the timing of an existing reporting requirement.

HB 2015 requires the Tennessee Department of Education to publicly post a standardized form for reporting student allergies on its website. This directly affects schools, parents, and students who use the form to document allergies. The bill amends existing law (TCA Title 49, Section 49-1-208) to mandate this online availability, replacing a previous sentence with the specific requirement. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 2072 would require Tennessee election officials to arrive at polling places one hour before polls open, instead of the current 30-minute requirement. This change directly affects election officials responsible for setting up polling locations across the state. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-105(a), by updating the arrival time from "one-half (1/2) hour" to "one (1) hour." The legislation is currently pending in the Tennessee General Assembly.