Tennessee Bills

HB 1558 extends the existence of Tennessee's Board of Communications Disorders and Sciences until June 30, 2031, by amending relevant state codes. This procedural bill directly affects the board itself and professionals regulated under its oversight, such as speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The key provision modifies the board's sunset date in Tennessee law, ensuring it continues operating without needing reauthorization before 2031. The bill makes no substantive policy changes but maintains the board's current regulatory structure. It is a routine extension of an existing administrative body.

HB 2041 prohibits landlords, property managers, or others serving eviction notices from sharing videos of the eviction process (like handing out papers) without the tenant's written permission. It directly affects tenants whose privacy is violated and landlords or their agents who might share such videos. The law creates a private right to sue, allowing victims to seek at least $25,000 per violation, plus actual damages, attorney fees, and other relief. This applies to real-time or near real-time video sharing, excluding law enforcement officers acting in their official duties.

This bill extends the existence of Tennessee's Board of Chiropractic Examiners until June 30, 2031, by amending two sections of the state code (TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 63, Chapter 4). It updates the board's expiration date without changing its regulatory duties over chiropractic practice. The board, which oversees licensure and standards for chiropractors, is directly affected by this extension. The bill makes a technical adjustment to avoid the board's automatic termination under existing sunset provisions.

HB 1594 extends the Sequatchie Valley Educational Development Agency's operation until June 30, 2032, preventing its automatic termination under Tennessee's sunset laws. The bill amends specific sections of Tennessee law (TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 5) to formally include the agency in relevant statutes. This directly affects the agency's ability to continue administering educational programs and development initiatives in Sequatchie Valley. The change ensures ongoing support for local educational efforts without creating new funding or programs.

HB 2083 expands Tennessee's "zero to three" court programs to cover all children five years of age or younger, with special priority for children under three. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 37 to establish three key goals: reducing time to permanency for young children, decreasing repeat maltreatment cases, and addressing trauma's impact on brain development in children under five. These changes directly affect children in foster care or child welfare cases aged five or younger, particularly infants and toddlers. The policy focuses on connecting at-risk families with support services earlier to improve outcomes for young children. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee after committee assignment.

HB 1811 is a routine procedural bill that codifies all general and public laws passed during Tennessee's 2025 regular and extraordinary legislative sessions into the official Tennessee Code Annotated. It does not change any existing laws or policies but integrates these laws into the state's updated legal code for clarity and accessibility. The bill specifies that any prior legislative acts remain controlling in case of conflicts with this codification, and it repeals outdated versions of the laws it incorporates. This annual process, standard for state law organization, affects the state's legal framework but has no direct impact on citizens or businesses.

HB 1958 changes Tennessee's wage payment rules for employees paid by piece-work or commission. It extends the deadline for paying these workers from the 5th day of the next month to the last day of the next month, both for regular pay and final pay upon termination. This directly affects workers in roles like sales, construction, or other commission-based jobs where pay is tied to output. The bill amends Tennessee Code §50-2-103 to implement this change, effective July 1, 2026. It does not alter payment deadlines for hourly or salaried employees.

HB 1771 requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to conduct annual education assessments for inmates serving felony sentences. These assessments determine each inmate's current education level and interest in continuing or advancing their studies. The department must then provide written notice within 90 days of the assessment about available educational programs and opportunities. The law applies to all felony inmates confined in state facilities and takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 1590 extends the expiration date of Tennessee's Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact to June 30, 2034, allowing occupational therapists to practice across state lines under the compact until that date. The bill amends Tennessee Code to establish this specific termination date for the compact and other governmental entities created in 2032, both expiring on June 30, 2034. This change does not alter current licensure requirements but sets a clear timeline for the compact's continuation, requiring future legislative action to extend beyond 2034. The compact enables therapists to work in multiple states without obtaining separate licenses in each.

HB 1560 extends the existence of the Tennessee Board of Dispensing Opticians until June 30, 2031, by amending state code sections. This bill removes the board's previous expiration date and ensures it continues to oversee the licensing and regulation of dispensing opticians. The board, established under state law, regulates professionals who fit and dispense eyeglasses and contact lenses. The extension does not alter current licensing rules or duties for opticians.

HB 1556 extends Tennessee's Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact until June 30, 2034. This bill amends Tennessee law to set a new termination date for the compact, which allows licensed professionals in these fields to practice across state lines without additional state-specific licensing. The compact directly affects audiologists and speech-language pathologists seeking to work in multiple states. The key mechanism is updating the statutory sunset date in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29, Part 2.

HB 2077 repeals rules previously transferred from Tennessee's defunct human rights commission to the attorney general. It adds a new confidentiality requirement: human rights complaints filed with the attorney general cannot be disclosed without the complainant's consent, except to the complainant, the respondent, their attorneys, or law enforcement agencies investigating discrimination. The bill also updates references to the defunct commission in other sections to instead reference the attorney general. This directly protects the privacy of individuals who file discrimination complaints with the attorney general.