Tennessee Bills

HB 2613, the "Tennessee Ballot Access Act," defines "natural born citizen" for federal office eligibility, specifically targeting candidates for president or vice president. It states a "natural born citizen" must be born to U.S. citizen parents (not naturalized citizens), referencing historical interpretation of the U.S. Constitution's Article II. The bill mandates this definition for ballot access, requiring candidates to meet this standard to be listed on Tennessee ballots for federal offices. It does not affect state elections or other offices, focusing solely on federal presidential/vice-presidential candidates. The bill is currently pending review by the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee.

HB 2227 requires Tennessee schools to notify parents or guardians before providing firearm safety instruction and allows them to opt their child out without penalty. It also expands access to student counseling by permitting state-licensed school social workers to offer preventative services without parental consent, previously limited to counselors or psychologists. The bill directly affects parents, students, and school staff by clarifying parental rights regarding firearm safety education and broadening who can provide certain counseling services. Key provisions include a 30-day advance notification requirement for firearm safety instruction and written opt-out procedures for parents. These changes amend Tennessee education laws in Titles 49 and 63.

HB 2226 prohibits school boards and professional employees (like teachers and principals) from holding meetings to discuss work conditions, known as "collaborative conferencing." It also bans school boards from allowing employee organizations to use school facilities under community access rules. The bill amends Tennessee education law to eliminate existing requirements for such meetings and replaces them with new prohibitions. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, with pre-existing contracts remaining valid until their expiration.

HB 1740 creates Individualized Education Accounts (IEAs) for Tennessee students with medical conditions preventing in-person school attendance. It allows parents of these students to use IEA funds exclusively for approved home school program expenses, as defined in the bill. The program applies only to students whose medical conditions are certified by the state board of education, not to students with standard disabilities covered under existing IEPs. Funds must be monitored by the state department, and non-compliance with approved expenses could lead to termination from the program. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

HB 448 requires Tennessee public schools and local education agencies (LEAs) to include at least two hours annually of evidence-based training on positive behavioral interventions, conflict prevention, de-escalation, and conflict management in their staff behavior intervention programs. This replaces a previous "encouragement" with a mandatory requirement, directly affecting all K-12 public schools and charter schools in Tennessee. The training hours can count toward existing in-service professional development requirements, easing implementation for schools. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 and takes effect July 1, 2025.

SB 831 requires Tennessee voters to specify a political party affiliation (or choose "Unaffiliated") on their voter registration record to participate in that party's primary election. Voters who do not indicate an affiliation at registration will automatically be recorded as "Unaffiliated." For the first primary election after the law takes effect on July 1, 2025, voters without an affiliation can declare their party preference at the polls, and the county election commission will record this in their permanent registration. This change updates voter registration procedures to mandate party affiliation for primary voting, with the option to declare at the polls for first-time primary voters.

SB 1045 prohibits state and local governments from requiring developers to pay for infrastructure that isn't essential to their project, such as roads or utilities not directly connected to the development. It specifically applies to residential projects with fewer than 300 single-family homes or 500 multi-family units, defining "nonessential infrastructure" as anything not contiguous to the property or exceeding initial planning estimates. The bill does not change existing tax, zoning, or permitting rules but takes effect July 1, 2025, for new contracts. This directly affects builders and developers by limiting government demands for off-site infrastructure costs.

SB 2174 amends Tennessee law to exclude specific indoor, above-ground swimming pools at fitness facilities from the definition of a "public swimming pool" requiring standard health regulations. It applies only to pools that are privately owned, installed indoors at fitness facilities, have controlled access (allowing only staff and students for instruction), meet water quality standards, and are used solely for swimming lessons - never for rentals, parties, or public use. This exempts these pools from regulations typically applied to hotels, public pools, or similar facilities. The change directly affects fitness facilities operating such pools, removing a layer of oversight for their instructional programs. The bill does not alter rules for other types of pools or public swimming areas.

SB 2242 moves the annual reporting deadline for Tennessee's TennCare program from April 15 to October 15. The bill requires TennCare to submit its report on medication therapy management pilot program costs and patient outcomes to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and House Health Committee by October 15 each year. This change affects TennCare's reporting obligations and the committees receiving these updates, but does not alter the program's substance or requirements. The amendment applies to specific sections of Tennessee Code (Titles 33, 53, 63, 68, and 71) related to pharmacy regulations.

SB 2266 reduces the wholesale tax on hemp-derived cannabinoid products from 2 cents to 1 cent per milligram. It allows licensed retailers to deliver these products directly to consumers, requiring age verification (with ID) and maintaining delivery records. The bill also permits delivery services primarily focused on food delivery to transport hemp products if they are licensed, have written agreements with retailers, and deliver only within 50 miles or contiguous counties of the retailer's location. These changes affect hemp retailers, delivery services, and consumers purchasing these products in Tennessee.

SB 2188 changes how Carroll County distributes local school funds for daily operations. It requires the county to allocate all such funds based *only* on students whose primary legal residence is in Carroll County, using a new metric called "WFTEADA" (weighted full-time equivalent average daily attendance). This specifically affects Carroll County's school districts and any virtual public schools operating within the county, as funds will no longer include students from outside Carroll County. The bill amends Tennessee education codes to implement this apportionment method, effective July 1, 2026.

SB 2369 would allow Tennessee public schools and charter schools to offer approved hunter education courses to students in grades 5 through 12 as part of existing physical education, health, or safety classes. The courses must be approved by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, aligning with existing hunter education standards. This bill does not change the content of the hunter education curriculum but provides a mechanism for schools to integrate it into current class structures. It directly affects students in grades 5-12 and school districts that choose to implement the program.