Campbell bill seeks to save lives by studying suicide trends in Tennessee

• 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 1787, by Sen. Heidi Campbell, would require state health officials to produce an annual report on suicide, including the number of suicides statewide, broken down by locations and demographics.
• Tennessee’s suicide rate is 18% higher than the national rate and suicide rates are on the rise nationally.
• The goal of the study is to better inform policymakers on suicide trends with the hope that the information will produce recommendations that reduce suicide risks.

GOP bill will study relocating Human Rights Commission under Attorney General’s office

• 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — As it was initially filed, SB 2503, by Sen. John Stevens, would have terminated Tennessee’s Human Rights Commission and moved the agency under the attorney general, whose office has a poor record of defending human rights — including minorities, women, and LGBTQ people.
• But the bill was amended in committee to only “study” the shocking proposal.
• The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent state agency responsible for enforcing the state’s anti-discrimination laws.

Republicans stomp on the grave of affirmative action at colleges

• 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 2822 by Sen. Rusty Crowe requires state auditors to review whether public colleges and universities are still using affirmative action in student admissions.
• In 2023, the conservative-tilted U.S. Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action, a decades-old effort to boost enrollment of minorities at American colleges.

NASHVILLE: Legislation creates agency to oversee East Bank development

• 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 2968 by Sen. Charlane Oliver would create the East Bank Development Authority to oversee the multi-billion dollar redevelopment of the area surrounding the new Tennessee Titans stadium.
• Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration has worked with state lawmakers to establish an agency to manage infrastructure development on East Bank land bounded by the Cumberland River and interstates to the north and east.
• Republicans delayed a vote on this bill last week so there may be resistance in the chamber.

3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar

1. SB 1062 *Hensley (HB 1228 by *Littleton, Capley, Barrett, Haston)

Regional Authorities and Special Districts- Regional Authorities and Districts - Reorganizes a regional railroad authority in South Tennessee.

2. SB 1545 *Rose, Haile (HB 1554 by *Slater)

Salaries and Benefits- As introduced, establishes a program under which a state employee may receive up to six weeks of paid leave if the employee becomes a foster parent of a minor child. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 8; Title 16 and Title 50.

3. SB 1594 *Massey (HB 1607 by *Howell)

Highways, Roads and Bridges- As introduced, requires the commissioner of transportation to include any change orders in the commissioner's quarterly report submitted to the state building commission regarding the status of road projects.

4. SB 1611 *Roberts (HB 1754 by *Ragan)

Sunset Laws- As introduced, extends the department of general services to June 30, 2028. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 4, Chapter 3.

5. SB 1699 *Rose (HB 1645 by *Lamberth, Russell, Littleton, Hardaway, Todd, Hazlewood, Garrett, Cochran, Leatherwood, Hicks G, Davis, Whitson, Gant, Haston, Parkinson, Wright, Alexander, Eldridge, Marsh, Fritts, Powell, Miller, Stevens, Love, Hemmer, Helton-Haynes, Hicks T, Carr, Howell, Hurt, Powers, Warner, Raper, Richey, White, Kumar, Crawford, Thompson)

Orders of Protection- As introduced, expands the eligibility for filing a petition to obtain a lifetime order of protection to include victims of aggravated stalking, especially aggravated stalking, and felony harassment. - Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 39.

6. SB 1787 *Campbell (HB 2327 by *Freeman, Gillespie)

Mental Illness- As introduced, requires the department of health to produce an annual report on suicide, including the number of completed and attempted suicides statewide, as well as broken down by county, and other demographics, including age, race, and ethnicity, and the method or means used of the attempted or completed suicide. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

7. SB 1811 *Kyle (HB 2943 by *Towns)

Criminal Offenses- As introduced, expands the application of certain indecent exposure offenses by including victims from 13 to 17 years of age; increases the penalty for indecent exposure if the victim is between 13 and 17 years of age.

8. SB 1998 *Jackson (HB 2008 by *Haston)

Education- As introduced, requires organizers of public school athletic events to accept cash as a form of payment for admission to the event or the purchase of concessions or other items for sale at the event; prohibits organizers of public school athletic events from charging a cash price that exceeds the price if paid by credit or debit card; designates a violation to be an unfair or deceptive act or practice in violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 49.

9. SB 2098 *Johnson, Massey, Yager (HB 2089 by *Lamberth, Cochran, Johnson C, Vital, White, Leatherwood, Haston, Todd, Carr, Ragan, Butler, Sherrell, Hale, Sexton, Keisling, Davis, Zachary, Wright, Carringer, McKenzie, Clemmons, Capley, Doggett, Marsh, Bricken, Burkhart, Dixie, Littleton, Kumar, Crawford, Hulsey, Hicks T, Holsclaw, Hill, Whitson)

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities- As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Disability and Aging Act of 2024."

10. SB 2188 *Massey (HB 2384 by *Howell)

Motor Vehicles- Prohibits a governmental entity or local board of education from extending immunity granted to governmental employees to independent school bus owners and operators or other persons or entities by contract, agreement, or other means in performing or providing school-related transportation services to a local board of education.

11. SB 2256 *Stevens (HB 2713 by *Garrett)

Trusts- As introduced, makes various changes to present law on trusts, estates, and partnerships.

12. SB 2337 *Yager (HB 1924 by *Butler, Fritts, Barrett, Towns, Capley)

Sentencing- As introduced, increases the penalty for indecent exposure from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony if the person was confined in a penal institution at the time of the commission of the offense and the offense was committed with the intent to abuse, torment, harass, or embarrass a guard or staff member; requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 days of incarceration; requires the mandatory minimum sentence to be served consecutive to any sentence being served at the time of the commission of the offense; requires a person convicted of more than one violation of this offense to serve each sentence consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

13. SB 2349 *Haile (HB 2404 by *Slater)

Children- As introduced, revises the definition of a dependent and neglected child in juvenile court proceedings to provide that a child must be dependent and neglected at the time of the filing of the court petition and adds that dependency and neglect due to a condition of want or suffering may be due to the child's mental health or substance abuse issues. - Amends TCA Title 37.

14. SB 2496 *Gardenhire, Yarbro (HB 2623 by *Carr)

Housing- As introduced, authorizes the chief legislative body of a municipality to create a voluntary attainable housing incentive program by ordinance for the purpose of authorizing certain incentives to be provided to property owners who seek to build attainable housing. - Amends TCA Title 13 and Title 66.

15. SB 2503 *Stevens (HB 2610 by *Garrett)

Human Rights- As introduced, terminates the human rights commission with no wind-down period; creates the human rights division in the office of attorney general; transfers the commission's functions to the new division.

16. SB 2539 *Niceley (HB 2118 by *Fritts)

Energy- As introduced, reconstitutes the state energy policy council by adding a representative of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a representative of the nuclear energy industry. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 59; Title 60; Title 65 and Title 68.

17. SB 2569 *Taylor (HB 2126 by *Grills, Hill, Todd, Capley, Moody, Cochran, Keisling, Littleton, Lamberth)

Juvenile Offenders- As introduced, allows a juvenile court to transfer a child 15 years of age or older to be tried as an adult in criminal court for the offense of organized retail crime, theft of a firearm, or an attempt to commit such offense.

18. SB 2571 *Taylor, Rose, Johnson (HB 1930 by *Gillespie)

Juvenile Offenders- As introduced, enacts the "Parental Accountability Act," requiring the juvenile court to assess a fine of $1,000 against a child who is found to be delinquent for a second or subsequent delinquent act, to be paid by the child’s parent, legal custodian, or guardian who had custody of the child at the time of the offense; permits the court to require the parent, legal custodian, or guardian to perform community service work in lieu of the mandatory fine if indigent.

19. SB 2585 *Taylor (HB 2145 by *Martin G, Vital, Whitson, Carr, Wright, Marsh, Sherrell, Harris)

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration- As introduced, creates an offense for possessing or distributing a license plate flipper.

20. SB 2605 *Rose (HB 2732 by *Faison)

Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission- As introduced, authorizes the Tennessee wildlife resources agency to enter into license agreements for the operation of facilities on lands under the control or supervision of the agency for the improved utilization of state lands and facilities; such license agreements must first be approved by the state building commission and the attorney general and reporter; clarifies that persons engaging in the business of propagating certain wildlife do not need to purchase a personal possession permit. - Amends TCA Title 70.

21. SB 2607 *Niceley (HB 2738 by *Powers)

Game and Fish Laws- Prohibits the Department of Agriculture (DOA) from requiring a person to have a microchip implanted in cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, horses, and other livestock animals. Establishes that requiring such implants is a violation punishable as a Class C misdemeanor offense.

22. SB 2691 *Southerland (HB 2063 by *Fritts)

Environmental Preservation- Expands Tennessee air quality regulations to prohibit the release of chemicals for the express purpose of weather modification.

23. SB 2741 *Gardenhire, Haile (HB 2934 by *Bricken)

Open Meetings- As introduced, requires a state or local governing body to make the agenda for a regular meeting available to the public at a place accessible to the public, including on its website, if available, not less than 48 hours prior to the meeting.

24. SB 2764 *Bowling (HB 2388 by *Bricken, Haston)

Local Education Agencies- As introduced, authorizes LEAs to extend career technical education (CTE) class sizes and averages in middle school CTE courses grades six through eight; provided, that CTE classes in grades six through eight do not exceed the maximum class size and the class size average set for general education classes in grades six through eight. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1.

25. SB 2771 *Bowling (HB 1623 by *Hale)

Traffic Safety- As introduced, authorizes a county or municipality to hire employees or appoint volunteers to divert vehicular traffic or temporarily close a lane to certain vehicular traffic within a marked school zone during the period of time that it is necessary to provide convenience for vehicles dropping off or picking up students from school; requires warning signs be posted in advance of the school zone. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 54 and Title 55.

26. SB 2779 *Bowling (HB 2621 by *Martin G)

Railroads- As introduced, increases from $10 to $25, the minimum fine amount for persons or corporations owning or operating a railroad in this state who violate the requirements to make and furnish good and sufficient crossings on the public highways crossed by them, and to keep such crossings in lawful repair at their own expense. - Amends TCA Title 65.

27. SB 2822 *Crowe

Education, Higher -Requires the comptroller of the treasury to include, in any audit of a public higher education institution’s governing board, an examination into whether the institution is complying with the equal protection provisions of the Tennessee and United States constitutions in the institution's admission program and practices.

28. SB 2915 *Bailey (HB 1805 by *Butler, Whitson)

Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration- As introduced, authorizes proration of the registration fee for freight motor vehicles operated for commercial purposes upon the death of an eligible operator of the freight motor vehicle; requires submission of certain documentation prior to issuance of a refund for the unused portion of the registration fee paid.

29. SB 2928 *Powers (HB 2937 by *Johnson C, Glynn)

Local Government, General- Caps at 50% the share a county is allowed to pay toward the cost of providing fire services to the county when the fire services are provided by a municipality through a Interlocal Cooperation fire service agreements.

Watch. This looks to disadvantage the city fire department.

30. SB 1987 *Swann (HB 1613 by *Powell, Whitson, Lamberth)

State Symbols- As introduced, designates “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee as the official state holiday song. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 3.

31. SB 2101 *Johnson, Stevens (HB 2090 by *Lamberth, Cochran, Hicks G)

Public Contracts- As introduced, requires certain information to be made available to each respondent for solicitation of a contract upon request; revises provisions relating to informal solicitations and small purchases; revises provisions relating to protests by aggrieved respondents to solicitations.

32. SB 2968 *Oliver

Davidson County - Subject to local approval, creates the East Bank Development Authority for the metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County.