Tennessee Bills

HB 696 creates a statewide Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Coordinator position to improve coordination and support for local SARTs across Tennessee. The coordinator, employed by the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, will provide training, oversight, and technical assistance to ensure local teams follow best practices and access resources. The bill requires annual reports to the legislature on SART performance, gaps in services, and recommendations for improvement. Funding for the position will come from state grants to the coalition, with the law taking effect July 1, 2025.

HB 1171 amends Tennessee tax law to require the commissioner of revenue to include the office of legislative budget analysis as a recipient of the annual report on franchise and excise tax credits. This procedural change directly affects the office of legislative budget analysis (which will now receive the report) and the commissioner of revenue (who must distribute it to this new recipient). The key mechanism adds "and the office of legislative budget analysis" to the existing distribution list under Tennessee Code Section 67-4-2109, ensuring the office receives the same report previously sent only to finance committees. The bill does not alter tax credit rules or amounts but expands access to legislative budget analysis data.

HB 661, the "Comprehensive Assault Crime Intervention Act," requires judges to mandate counseling for individuals convicted of assault offenses. It specifies that defendants must complete certified batterer's intervention programs (minimum 26 weeks, 3 hours per session, with a 6:1 participant-to-counselor ratio) or substance abuse treatment as part of sentencing. The bill also mandates annual 12+ hour domestic violence training for judges and court staff. These provisions directly affect assault defendants and court personnel, focusing on rehabilitation and consistent judicial handling of domestic violence-related cases.

HB 184 creates a new Class C felony for reckless endangerment classified as "community terrorism," defined as gang-related acts against populations in a geographic area or within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, or other public spaces like libraries. Convicted individuals face a mandatory 5-year driver's license revocation or prohibition (with limited exceptions for work/medical needs), plus GPS monitoring to enforce geographic restrictions near the crime site. The law applies specifically to offenses committed by criminal gang members or near protected locations, requiring courts to order these penalties alongside sentencing. Reinstatement of a driver's license is only possible after five years, with strict requirements for restricted use and court approval.

This bill proposes amending Tennessee's constitution to allow local school boards to approve lotteries run by nonprofit school support organizations. It would require that net lottery revenue be directed to school districts for educational or extracurricular programs, removing the current constitutional ban on such lotteries. The amendment specifically targets funding for schools, ensuring proceeds support classroom and activity needs rather than general district budgets. This change would directly affect school districts, nonprofit school groups, and local education agencies in Tennessee.

This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to Tennessee's Constitution, granting individuals the right to refuse any medical treatment - including procedures, medications, vaccinations, or other interventions - without being forced to undergo it, even during a state emergency. It would directly affect all Tennesseans by establishing a new constitutional right to medical autonomy. The amendment requires the Tennessee General Assembly to create laws implementing this right, though it does not specify how such laws would operate.

HB 1218 would exempt menstrual hygiene products from Tennessee's sales and use tax, effective July 1, 2025. The bill specifically covers all products used for menstruation, including tampons, pads, liners, cups, and douches - both reusable and disposable. This change would reduce costs for individuals purchasing these essential hygiene products in Tennessee, directly affecting consumers who buy such items. The legislation defines "menstrual hygiene product" to ensure clear coverage under the tax exemption.

HB 473 requires law enforcement in Tennessee to collect a mouth swab DNA sample from anyone arrested for a felony offense on or after July 1, 2025. The sample must be taken before the person is released from custody and sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for analysis. If charges are dismissed or the person is acquitted, the DNA sample and records must be destroyed, unless other felony charges are pending. This law directly affects all individuals arrested for felonies in Tennessee after the effective date.

HB 8 requires Tennessee colleges and universities to provide eligible campus police and public safety officers with an annual $800 cash bonus for completing required in-service training. The bill specifically applies to officers at Tennessee institutions of higher education who meet training requirements. It also ensures officers serving in the military during active conflicts (and missing training due to that service) receive the bonus. The provision takes effect July 1, 2025.

HB 98 increases state funding for Tennessee human resource agencies by adjusting the matching formula for local contributions. It sets tiered state match amounts based on local per capita assessments: $295,000 for 1-20 cents, $340,000 for 21-30 cents, and $370,000 for 31+ cents per capita. This directly affects local human resource agencies and the counties or municipalities that fund them through local assessments. The bill changes how state funds are allocated to support human services delivery, with higher local contributions triggering larger state matches.

HB 348 requires Tennessee local governments to fully fund education budgets they adopt. If a local government budgets for the full required education funding but fails to allocate the full amount to local education agencies (LEAs), it must cover the shortfall in the next fiscal year. The bill specifies that future funding requirements must be based on the originally budgeted amount (not the actual amount allocated), and funds used to correct shortfalls count as nonrecurring expenses. This directly affects local governments and LEAs by ensuring consistent education funding without relying on prior actual appropriations.

HB 1245 changes Tennessee law to reduce the waiting time for juvenile detainees facing disciplinary action. Specifically, it shortens the maximum delay for a telephone call or in-person visit from six to four hours after a disciplinary measure is imposed. This applies directly to youth held in state juvenile detention facilities under Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 37-1-189. The bill modifies the existing requirement without altering other facility procedures or policies.