Tennessee Bills

HB 1840 requires Tennessee school districts to annually report to the state education department the number of students in grades seven or eight who received information about career and technical education (CTE) opportunities after taking a career aptitude assessment. The report, due by July 31 each year, must cover the previous school year and track how many students were provided with CTE details following the assessment. This bill does not change existing CTE programs but adds a reporting requirement for school districts to document student outreach. The policy applies to all Tennessee local education agencies (LEAs) and aims to measure how schools connect students with CTE resources after career assessments.

HB 1869 changes the annual report submission deadline for managed care organizations participating in Tennessee's TennCare program from March 1 to February 1. This procedural adjustment affects all such organizations required to submit reports to the TennCare bureau under Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 1. The bill does not alter report content or requirements, only the submission date. It amends Section 71-5-154(a) of state law to implement this change.

HB 1742 requires Tennessee's election finance registry to provide a clear, nonexclusive list of examples for non-monetary campaign contributions (such as goods or services) that must be disclosed. This list must be distributed to all state legislators at the start of each legislative session and to candidates within one week of certifying a treasurer with the registry. The registry must create and update this list through formal rule-making procedures under state administrative law. The bill directly affects state lawmakers and candidates for state office by clarifying which non-cash contributions require public disclosure under campaign finance rules.

HB 1776 changes the deadline for the Tennessee Department of Education to submit its annual report on the school safety alert grant pilot fund, moving it from February 1 to January 15 each year, effective beginning with reports due in 2027. This procedural adjustment affects the department’s reporting schedule without altering the content or requirements of the report. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Section 49-1-225(f), to implement this timing change. It does not impact the grant program’s funding, eligibility, or other operational details.

HB 1719 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 66 to allow the state treasurer to submit annual reports on unclaimed property electronically instead of in paper form. The bill directly affects the treasurer's office by updating the reporting method required under Section 66-29-165(b)(2). It adds a new provision stating "The report may be submitted electronically," streamlining the process for submitting these reports to designated executive and legislative officials. This change is purely procedural and does not alter the definition of unclaimed property, the handling of funds, or who is affected by unclaimed property laws. The bill focuses solely on modernizing the reporting mechanism.

HB 1781 shortens Tennessee's adoption record confidentiality period from 100 years to 90 years after an adoption is finalized. This change allows adoptees and birth family members to access sealed adoption records 10 years earlier than under current law. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee Code (including Titles 18, 36, 37, and 49) to update the waiting period for making these records public. It directly affects individuals seeking their adoption history and the state's process for handling record requests.

HB 1780 extends the deadline for Tennessee's Department of Correction to submit its annual report on higher education opportunities for incarcerated individuals. The bill changes the submission date from January 1 to January 15 each year, affecting the department's reporting obligation to specific legislative committees. This procedural adjustment provides additional time for the department to prepare the report before submitting it to the Senate Judiciary and Education Committees and the House Criminal Justice and Education Administration Committees.

HB 1654 is a procedural bill requiring the Tennessee governor to forward proposed legislation to government operations committee chairs in both the Senate and House whenever state department functions are transferred. This legislation must update the Tennessee Code to reflect changes made through executive order. The bill directly affects the governor’s office and legislative committees by establishing a formal process for documenting administrative shifts between state agencies. It does not change department responsibilities but ensures legal records are updated after executive actions transfer functions. The bill was introduced on January 14, 2026, and is pending committee review.

HB 1626 changes the quarterly reporting deadlines for bail bondsmen and court clerks in Tennessee. Specifically, it extends the filing dates for reports on bonds issued (by bondsmen) and bonds accepted (by court clerks) from the 25th to the 30th of January, April, July, and October each year. This procedural adjustment affects all licensed bail bondsmen and court clerks statewide who submit these quarterly reports under Tennessee law. The bill does not alter the content or requirements of the reports, only the submission deadlines.

HB 1637 moves the annual reporting deadline for Tennessee's Department of Children's Services from January 31 to February 15. The bill directly affects the Department of Children's Services, requiring it to publish its annual report on department operations and programs by the new date. This is a procedural change to existing reporting requirements under Tennessee law, with no new program provisions or funding impacts. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 1638 extends the timeframe for the Tennessee Department of Correction to notify victims about parole hearings. It changes the deadline from 90 to 100 days after a court conviction for inmates eligible for parole consideration. This affects the Department of Correction (which must send notifications) and victim witness coordinators (who receive them). The bill amends Tennessee law to give the Department an extra 10 days for this notification process, effective July 1, 2026.

HB 1650 requires the Tennessee Board of Dentistry to submit its annual report of activities by February 1 each year to both the governor and the Tennessee General Assembly, rather than only to the governor as previously required. The bill also mandates that copies of the report be made publicly available. This change, which amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Section 63-5-106, directly affects the Board of Dentistry by altering its reporting obligations. The policy shift aims to increase legislative oversight by ensuring the General Assembly receives the report directly.