Technology

signed · Tennessee · House May 26, 2026

HB 2408: Telecommunications - As enacted, requires a person or entity that makes telephone solicitations using an automated telephone dialing system to delivery artificial or prerecorded voice messages to residential subscribers in this state to maintain a record of the number of such telephone solicitations made each month; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 65 and Title 67.

HB 2408 requires Tennessee's Public Utility Commission to include an annual report on telemarketing compliance in its regular report to state legislators. This report specifically tracks whether companies follow state rules about making unsolicited phone or text calls to home phone users. The bill directs this additional report to be sent to the chairs of two key legislative committees: the House Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. It does not change existing telemarketing laws but adds a new reporting requirement for the commission. The bill is currently pending review in the Senate Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires annual report on telemarketing compliance, enforcing existing data privacy protections against unsolicited calls/texts90% confidence

Sub-Topics Telecommunications

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 2521: State Government - As introduced, expands the requirements of the 2026 and 2027 annual reports to be submitted by the artificial intelligence advisory council to the governor, speaker of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives by requiring such reports to include recommendations on strategies to detect and minimize the risk of fraud committed by persons using artificial intelligence. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 29; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 53; Title 62; Title 63; Title 65; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 2521 requires Tennessee's Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to include specific recommendations for detecting and preventing fraud committed by people using AI in its 2026 and subsequent annual reports to state leaders. The bill amends multiple sections of state law to expand the council's reporting requirements, mandating these fraud-focused strategies alongside existing report content. This change directly affects the AI advisory council, which must now develop and submit these recommendations as part of its mandated reports. The legislation does not create new enforcement powers but updates the scope of information the council must provide to the governor and legislative leaders.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates AI advisory council to include fraud detection strategies in reports, aligning with cybersecurity protection under technology policies.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 2056: Boards and Commissions - As introduced, requires the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners to create and maintain a student identification number for each applicant accruing instructional hours; prohibits the board from using a student's social security number as a public-facing identifier of the person. - Amends TCA Title 62, Chapter 3 and Title 62, Chapter 4.

HB 2056 requires Tennessee's cosmetology and barber licensing boards to replace applicants' Social Security Numbers (SSNs) with unique student identification numbers on all public-facing documents, such as hourly report forms and registration applications. This change directly affects cosmetology and barber students, instructors, and applicants who track instructional hours before taking exams or receiving licenses. The bill mandates that boards use these student IDs instead of SSNs for public reports until applicants complete their certification or licensing process. The policy change aims to reduce public exposure of SSNs while maintaining internal use of SSNs for administrative purposes.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyReplaces SSNs with student IDs to protect applicant privacy, directly aligning with data privacy safeguards under technology policy.95% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · Senate May 5, 2026

SB 1881: Public Records - As enacted, designates records of the office of homeland security related to critical infrastructure as confidential and exempts such records from public records requests; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.

SB 1881 would make certain records held by Tennessee's Office of Homeland Security about critical infrastructure confidential, preventing public access through standard public records requests. Specifically, it exempts three types of records: security analyses and warnings for infrastructure systems (like power grids or water facilities), threat prevention and defense efforts, and any records designated by the agency as relating to critical infrastructure. This bill amends Tennessee's public records law (TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5) to add these specific exemptions. The change directly affects the public's right to access this information and the Office of Homeland Security's disclosure obligations.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExempts security analyses and threat prevention records for critical infrastructure, protecting cybersecurity details from public disclosure to prevent threats.90% confidence

Tags Government Transparency

signed · Tennessee · House May 15, 2026

HB 1536: Agriculture, Dept. of - As enacted, enacts the "Representative Johnny Shaw Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative." - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 43.

HB 1536 creates the "Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative" under the Department of Agriculture. It authorizes partnerships with private or academic groups to develop digital tools, educational programs, and workforce training focused on agricultural technology, market access, and entrepreneurship - specifically prioritizing small, minority, and beginning farmers. The initiative requires annual evaluations to track farmer participation, economic outcomes, and taxpayer return, with results publicly reported to lawmakers. Partners retain ownership of all creative content and digital platforms developed under the program.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill funds digital tools development for agricultural tech, prioritizing small/ minority farmers, directly advancing technology application in agriculture.85% confidence

Tags Agriculture

in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 1912: Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each LEA and public charter school to adopt an internet acceptable use policy; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 49.

SB 1912 requires Tennessee public schools and charter schools to adopt internet acceptable use policies that include student safety protocols, parental communication guidelines, and strict limits on accessing harmful content (like pornography, violence, or self-harm material). It specifically bans schools from creating email addresses for pre-K-5 students that allow them to send or receive emails, though schools may use email addresses as security data points. The bill mandates annual audits to ensure compliance and requires digital resource providers to filter harmful content and remove inappropriate materials within one business day of a school's request. This directly affects all Tennessee public schools and pre-K-5 students by restructuring how internet safety and digital access are managed.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates student safety protocols and content restrictions in school internet policies, aligning with protective measures for educational environments.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBans email addresses for pre-K-5 students and mandates content filters, restricting tech use in schools for safety90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice School Safety Online Safety

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signed · Tennessee · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1513: Election Laws - As enacted, requires political advertisements to include a disclaimer if the advertisements include deepfake elements impersonating or depicting a candidate engaging in activity or speech in which the impersonated or depicted candidate did not in fact engage; makes a violation of such disclaimer requirement a Class C misdemeanor; entitles candidate to damages and equitable relief for violations. - Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 19.

HB 1513 requires political advertisements using deepfakes - fake audio or video impersonating a candidate engaging in speech or actions they never actually did - to include specific disclaimers. For audio ads, the disclaimer must appear at the start and end; for video ads, it must display in large text throughout. Political advertisers (including broadcasters and producers) who fail to add these disclaimers face Class C misdemeanor penalties, and candidates harmed by such ads can seek damages and legal relief. The law applies to ads distributed within 120 days of an election if the candidate isn’t an incumbent.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates deepfake technology in political ads to prevent deception, aligning with digital rights protection and consumer safeguards against AI misuse.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

died · Tennessee · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SB 1571: Anatomical Gifts - As introduced, specifies that genome sequencing data may be stored within a foreign adversary or remotely accessed by a foreign adversary if the data is collected as part of a clinical trial or other biomedical research study conducted in accordance with federal rules. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 30.

SB 1571 modifies Tennessee's anatomical gifts law to allow genome sequencing data collected during federally compliant clinical trials or biomedical research to be stored outside the U.S. or remotely accessed by foreign adversaries. This exception applies specifically to data gathered under federal rules (28 CFR Part 202) and directly affects researchers and institutions conducting such studies in Tennessee. The bill adds this exception to existing regulations governing how anatomical gift data may be handled. It does not change other aspects of the law or impose new requirements on data storage.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyAllows foreign adversaries remote access to genome data from federally compliant research, weakening data privacy protections per bill's explicit exception.95% confidence

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 1594: Public Records - As enacted, adds provider reimbursement information that is provided to the comptroller of the treasury to the existing list of examples of proprietary information types that are not subject to disclosure as public records. - Amends TCA Section 71-5-142.

SB 1594 amends Tennessee law to protect healthcare provider reimbursement information submitted to the state's financial officer (comptroller of the treasury) from public disclosure. The bill adds this specific type of data to the existing list of proprietary information that cannot be requested under public records laws. This change directly affects healthcare providers who submit reimbursement details to the comptroller, as it prevents those records from being made public. The policy change modifies Tennessee Code Annotated Section 71-5-142 to explicitly include the comptroller's reimbursement data under protected categories.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill protects healthcare reimbursement data from public disclosure, advancing data privacy protections under technology policy.85% confidence

Tags Government Transparency

died · Tennessee · House Feb 2, 2026

HB 1701: Local Education Agencies - As introduced, requires each LEA and public charter school to install, maintain, and use, subject to parental approval, a video camera surveillance system in the special education classrooms operated by the LEA or public charter school to continuously monitor students, teachers, and staff in the classroom while special education or related services are being provided. - Amends TCA Title 10 and Title 49.

HB 1701 would require Tennessee public school districts and charter schools to install continuous video surveillance in special education classrooms, but only with written consent from parents of a majority of students in those classrooms. The bill mandates that footage can only be viewed by parents of featured students and must comply with privacy laws like FERPA. It applies to all special education classrooms where students receive such services for at least 50% of the instructional day. The bill was introduced in January 2026 but withdrawn on February 2, 2026, and is not currently in effect.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates FERPA compliance for surveillance systems, requiring privacy protections in technology implementation for student data in special education classrooms.85% confidence

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