Gov. Lee reveals $797M of new spending, but withholds funding for legislature’s voucher proposals
- View the Lee Administration’s Budget Amendment — The Lee Administration made its last revisions to its annual budget request and, interestingly, the governor excluded dedicated funding (above his initial $144 million) for either of the voucher scam proposals working through the legislature.
- The Lee Administration did include $352 million for Lee’s illegal(?) franchise tax refund scheme, which started at $1.2 billion and has now swelled to nearly $1.6 billion.
- Other notables expenses: $150M to account for sagging franchise & excise tax collections this year; $6.4M for “Military-Border Deployment”; $130M for the “rainy day reserve”
- For those following along, SB 2942, by Sen.
Jack Johnson, is the budget appropriations bill.
Potty Police: Republican bill criminalizes transgender people using public restrooms
- 10:30 a.m. Judiciary – SB 2781 by Sen. Janice Bowling makes it a criminal offense for “a person to knowingly enter into and remain in a public restroom that does not correspond with the person's biological sex.”
- This legislation targets transgender people and attempts to make it impossible for them to use restrooms or changing rooms without fear.
- This is another clear example of government overreach where the consequences are false accusations, discrimination and unnecessary lawsuits (paid for by taxpayers).
Vigilante or villain? GOP bill expands citizen arrest law
- 10:30 a.m. Judiciary – SB 0908, by Sen. Frank Niceley, would allow private citizens, in some circumstances, to threaten the use of deadly force when making a “citizen’s arrest”.
- Tennessee’s citizen’s arrest law is already confusing and this does not add clarity, but it may embolden some bad actors to make horrific decisions.
GOP would criminalize adults who help a minor end a pregnancy
- 10:30 a.m. Judiciary – SB 1971, by Sen. Paul Rose, would criminalize non-parent adults who help a minor obtain an abortion. In addition to a class C felony, adults could be sued in civil court for wrongful death.
- Under the bill, an adult commits the offense of “abortion trafficking” of a minor if the adult harbors or transports a pregnant minor with the state for the purpose of getting an abortion or obtaining abortion-inducing medication.
- Tennessee has one of the most extreme abortion laws in the nation, criminalizing doctors who perform the procedure on children even in cases of rape, incest and if the child’s health would be affected.
Sen. Taylor would ban felons from participating in voter registration drives
- 2 p.m. State & Local Government – SB 2586, by Sen. Brent Taylor, would bar people who have served their time from participating in voter registration drives. The bill also creates a $5,000 civil fine for any violations of the law.
- This bill adds insult to injury for returning citizens and may violate their constitutional right to participate in First Amendment-protected voter registration.
- Context: Tennessee denies the right to vote to more than 470,000 citizens because of felony convictions and leads the nation in disenfranchisement of Black citizens at a “staggering rate of just over 21%,” according to The Sentencing Project.
Covenant School: Bill limits access to child autopsies, preserves in-person review
- 2 p.m. State & Local Government – SB 2020, by Sen. Shane Reeves
GOP anti-immigrant bill would count arrests of undocumented residents
- 2 p.m. State & Local Government – SB 2158, by Sen. Ferrell Haile, would require district attorneys to collect data on the number of charges and convictions involving undocumented residents.
- In a year when the Republican majority is offering voters no reason to keep them in power, GOP lawmakers are reverting to xenophobic, election-year fear mongering that puts migrant families at risk.
- This bill comes just weeks after Republicans in Congress blocked a border security bill their party demanded.
JONES / PEARSON bill would ban communities from reappointing expelled members
- 2 p.m. State & Local Government – SB 2634, by Sen. Ferell Haile, would prohibit a local legislative body from reappointing a lawmaker who was expelled for “disorderly behavior.”
- The Republican-sponsored bill is aimed at Reps. Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson who were expelled on a party-line vote for speaking out of turn in favor of gun reform.
Bill would move up candidate filing deadline by three weeks
- 2 p.m. State & Local Government – SB 0145, by Sen. Page Walley, would move up Tennessee candidate filing deadline from the Thursday in April to the second Tuesday in March.
- This bill takes effect after the November 2024 election.
8:30 a.m. Commerce & Labor
1. SB 1937 *Haile (HB 2178 by *White)
Labor and Workforce Development, Dept. of- As introduced, creates a high-value workforce readiness board that is administratively attached to the department to identify high-demand fields in this state and qualified institutions that offer workforce training programs in high-demand fields; creates a high-value workforce readiness grant program to be administered by the department to encourage individuals to pursue credentials in high-demand fields in this state. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 49 and Title 50.
2. SB 1866 *Hensley (HB 1907 by *Bulso)
Labor- As introduced, clarifies that in determining whether a person is an illegal alien for employment purposes, the person's status is considered with respect to the employment of the person at a particular time. - Amends TCA Title 50.
3. SB 2328 *Yager (HB 2076 by *Martin B)
Insurance, Health, Accident- As introduced, establishes procedures for recoupment of overpayments made to a healthcare provider by certain health insurance entities. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.
4. SB 1260 *Akbari (HB 0351 by *Hardaway)
Industrial Development- As introduced, authorizes the establishment of industrial development corporations solely to assist and benefit minority-owned businesses, locally owned businesses, small businesses, and women-owned businesses. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 53.
5. SB 1915 *Niceley (HB 1859 by *Davis)
Licenses- As introduced, prohibits certain licensing authorities from automatically barring an individual from licensure because of the individual's criminal record; requires the licensing authority to provide individualized consideration of an individual's criminal record and circumstances; specifies which convictions a licensing authority may consider in making a determination for licensure; makes other changes related to licensure determinations and criminal records. - Amends TCA Title 62 and Title 63.
6. SB 2639 *Niceley (HB 2553 by *Reedy, Hulsey, Sherrell, Lynn, Howell, Gant, McCalmon, Russell, Zachary, Travis, Burkhart, Marsh, Sparks, Wright, Fritts, Hurt, Capley, Vital, Rudd, White, Raper, Grills)
Real Property- As introduced, restricts certain foreign investments in land located within this state through the creation of two separate prohibitions, one that restricts a prohibited foreign-party-controlled business from acquiring real property and another that restricts a prohibited foreign-party from acquiring agricultural land located within this state. - Amends TCA Title 43; Title 44; Title 47; Title 48 and Title 66.
7. SB 2008 *Reeves (HB 2170 by *Williams, Jernigan)
Insurance, Health, Accident- As introduced, prohibits an insurer, pharmacy benefits manager, or third-party administrator from changing or conditioning the terms of health plan coverage based on availability of financial or other product assistance for a prescription drug; establishes certain procedures for calculating an enrollee's contribution to an applicable cost sharing requirement. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
8. SB 2012 *Reeves (HB 2011 by *Vaughan)
Health Care- As introduced, broadens the electronic health care records modernization act to include subjecting healthcare entities to injunctive relief and civil penalties for interfering with their patients accessing electronic health information and prohibiting healthcare entities from disclosing electronic health reports or tests to patients until 72 hours after the results have been finalized in certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 47; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.
9. SB 2030 *Reeves (HB 2266 by *Boyd, Martin G)
Real Property- As introduced, specifies that documents provided through a website with the primary function of providing certificates, registrations, licenses, or similar documents for assistance animals in exchange for payment of a fee are not reliable documentation in seeking an exemption to a prohibition on animals in rental property. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 66.
10. SB 2812 *Reeves (HB 2374 by *Terry)
Health Care- As introduced, requires a health insurance carrier to provide certain information used by the health insurance carrier to calculate payments paid to the healthcare provider within 10 calendar days, rather than 10 business days, of receipt of a written request from a healthcare provider. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
11. SB 2698 *Southerland (HB 2281 by *Hawk)
Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies- As introduced, requires an applicant for an insurance producer license for title insurance to complete a pre-licensing course of study that consists of a minimum of 30 hours of course work. - Amends TCA Title 56.
12. SB 0502 *Watson (HB 0916 by *Rudder)
TennCare- This is a “white bagging” bill.
“White bagging” relates to health insurance companies stipulating when clinicians are reimbursed for clinician-administered drugs.
13. SB 2363 *Watson (HB 1877 by *Freeman)
Insurance, Health, Accident- As introduced, requires hospitals and physicians to accept electronic insurance cards as valid proof of an insurance policy, plan, or contract. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 71.
14. SB 2368 *Watson (HB 2147 by *Hale)
Health Care- As introduced, requires the commissioner of finance and administration, or the commissioner's designee, to make available to the public on the department's website any proposed budget document or other financial publication that lists complex rehabilitation technology benefits separately if the document or publication establishes a change in reimbursement for complex rehabilitation technology. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 56; Title 68 and Title 71.
15. SB 2373 *Watson (HB 2322 by *Hazlewood)
Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies- As introduced, requires certain health benefit plans to include coverage for treatment services required for and related to treatment of an acquired brain injury; prohibits health benefit plans from imposing certain limitations on the number of days of acute care, post-acute care, and covered inpatient care for acquired brain injuries; makes additional changes related to such coverage. - Amends TCA Title 8 and Title 56.
16. SB 2378 *Watson (HB 2010 by *Vaughan)
Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies- As introduced, increases, from $50,000 to $100,000, the amount of the bond running to the state that every insurance company doing a workers' compensation business in this state must furnish to the commissioner of commerce and insurance; increases, from $100,000 to $200,000, the amount that such a company has on deposit with another state in which the company is organized and domiciled and from which a certificate of that state's commissioner of insurance may be accepted by the commissioner of commerce and insurance in lieu of the bond. - Amends TCA Title 12; Title 50 and Title 56.
17. SB 2530 *Watson (HB 2325 by *Hazlewood)
Boards and Commissions- As introduced, creates the artificial intelligence advisory council to recommend an action plan to guide awareness, education, and usage of artificial intelligence in state government that aligns with the state’s policies and goals and that supports public employees in the efficient and effective delivery of customer service.
18. SB 2518 *Hensley (HB 2633 by *Bricken)
Business Organizations- As introduced, increases the minimum filing fee required when certain business entities file an annual report with the secretary of state. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 43; Title 48 and Title 61.
$100 million new fee increase
19. SB 2430 *Powers (HB 2530 by *Burkhart)
Codes- As introduced, prohibits a local government from limiting or prohibiting the use or installation of products that meet the national codes and standards or materials that meet the national codes and standards for single-family or multi-family housing or commercial construction under four stories; deletes provision declaring that a denial of a waiver by a local governmental entity pertaining to construction materials does not constitute a prohibition of those construction materials. - Amends TCA Section 68-120-101.
20. SB 2676 *White (HB 2701 by *Littleton, Rudder, Lamberth, Ragan, Garrett, Holsclaw)
TennCare- As introduced, prohibits a TennCare enrollee from staying in an emergency department or emergency room facility for more than 72 hours without medical necessity; imposes penalties on TennCare and managed care organizations for causing an enrollee’s extended emergency department or emergency room facility stay. - Amends TCA Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
21. SB 1252 *Akbari (HB 1470 by *Towns)
Consumer Protection- As introduced, enacts the "Consumer Wheelchair Repair Bill of Rights Act." - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18.
22. SB 2753 *Akbari (HB 2605 by *Johnson G)
Charitable Solicitations- As introduced, exempts a child care agency from the registration requirements for charitable organizations. - Amends TCA Title 48, Chapter 101.
23. SB 2908 *Bailey (HB 2148 by *Hale)
Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies- caption
24. SB 2927 *Bailey (HB 2437 by *Travis)
Real Property- As introduced, prohibits certain Chinese entities from directly or indirectly owning, having a controlling interest in, acquiring by purchase, grant, devise, or descent an interest, or holding by lease, contract, or usufruct an interest in, except a de minimus indirect interest, real property in this state or real property within 10 miles of a military installation; requires divestment within two years of any such interest unlawfully held; requires certain property owners to register with the secretary of state; provides civil penalties for violations. - Amends TCA Title 66, Chapter 2.
25. SB 2209 *Niceley (HB 2577 by *Keisling)
Fireworks- As introduced, allows a firework exhibitor whose license has been expired for 95 or fewer days, rather than 90 or fewer days, to renew the license and have it retroactive to the date the old license expired. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40 and Title 68.
26. SB 2638 *Niceley (HB 2367 by *Lynn)
Advertising- As introduced, bans pharmaceutical advertisements in newspapers, online, and on television in this state. - Amends TCA Title 47; Title 53 and Title 68.
27. SB 2839 *Niceley (HB 2653 by *Chism)
Fireworks- As introduced, removes the requirement that a request for the issuance of a retailer's or seasonal retailer's fireworks permit be accompanied by a statement signed by the chief executive officer of the county or municipality in which fireworks are to be sold or offered for sale, or a person appointed or designated by the chief executive officer, that the sale of fireworks in the county or municipality is permissible. - Amends
10:30 a.m. Judiciary Committee
1. SB 2662 *White (HB 1817 by *Littleton, Lamberth, Faison, Eldridge, Lafferty, Bricken, Russell, Grills, Todd, Vaughan)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, increases the penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony for the offense of child endangerment by a parent or custodian of a child eight years of age or less if the parent or guardian knowingly exposes the child to, or knowingly fails to protect the child from, abuse or neglect resulting in physical injury or imminent danger to the child; increases the penalty from a Class D felony to a Class B felony for a person who negligently, by act or omission, engages in conduct that places a child eight years of age or less in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment. - Amends TCA Title 39.
2. SB 2781 *Bowling (HB 1949 by *Ragan)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, expands the offense of observation without consent to include a person or entity that adopts rules or enforces a policy or other work-related guidance for employees or contractors to promote or assist in the commission of observation without consent in a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, including a restroom, locker room, dressing room, or shower, designated for multi-person, single-sex use; creates a civil action for invasion of privacy based on a violation of observation without consent. - Amends TCA Section 39-13-607.
Bathroom bill
3. SB 0908 *Niceley, Rose, Powers, Lowe, Bowling (HB 0994 by *Keisling, Warner, Capley, Fritts, Richey, Reedy, Lynn, Barrett, Bricken, Doggett, Ragan, Eldridge, Grills, Moody, Todd, Davis, Powers, Vital, Hulsey, Carr, McCalmon, Hardaway, Chism, Carringer)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, clarifies that a threat to use deadly force by a private citizen making an arrest is not in itself considered a use of deadly force; prohibits a private citizen from threatening to use deadly force during the course of a citizen's arrest unless the arrest is for a crime committed or threatened against the citizen making the arrest or for a violent crime committed or threatened in the presence of the citizen making the arrest.
4. SB 2608 *Niceley (HB 2761 by *Keisling)
Expunction- As introduced, allows a person to have the criminal records of a conviction for driving under the influence of an intoxicant expunged if the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the intoxicant or intoxicants forming the basis of the conviction were lawfully prescribed to the petitioner at the time of the offense. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 55.
5. SB 2650 *Niceley (HB 2848 by *Wright)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, creates the Class C felony offense of acquiring or otherwise exercising control over bees or a structure or equipment used to keep, handle, house, exhibit, breed, or offer for sale bees, without the consent of the owner and with the intent to deprive the owner of the bees, structure, or equipment. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 43.
6. SB 1929 *Akbari (HB 2223 by *Love)
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation- As introduced, creates an Amber+ Alert system for the purpose of issuing alerts with respect to certain youth who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, reported missing and at risk of harm, or reported missing and developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 6, Part 1.
7. SB 1917 *Yarbro (HB 2041 by *Jernigan)
Marriage- As introduced, prohibits marriage between first cousins. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3.
8. SB 2166 *Yarbro (HB 2417 by *Dixie)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, permits a person who was convicted of an infamous crime after July 1, 1986, but before July 1, 1996, to petition a circuit court for restoration of the person's full rights of citizenship in the same manner established for persons convicted on or after July 1, 1996. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 34 and Title 40.
9. SB 2405 *Yarbro (HB 2515 by *Harris)
Expunction- As introduced, deletes the offense of aggravated prostitution; requires the public records of a person charged with a misdemeanor or a felony offense that has been repealed to be removed and destroyed without cost upon petition by the person. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.
10. SJR 0922 *Campbell
Constitutional Amendments- Proposes an amendment to Article VI, Section 14 of the Tennessee Constitution to authorize municipal courts to impose civil penalties up to $3,000 for violations of municipal ordinances. -
11. SB 1482 *Oliver (HB 0688 by *Hardaway, Lamberth)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, creates a Class C felony of reckless endangerment committed against a population within a geographic territory by members of a criminal gang and the commission of the offense is gang-related; authorizes a court to revoke or prohibit the issuance of a driver license to individuals convicted of such offenses for a five-year period. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 40, Chapter 35.
12. SB 1898 *Oliver (HB 2023 by *Clemmons)
Criminal Procedure- As introduced, requires the arrest or search warrant being issued to include the contact information or telephone number of the law enforcement agency that issued the warrant. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40 and Title 68.
13. SB 2410 *Lamar (HB 2504 by *Harris, Chism)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, makes it an offense for a person, on behalf of a debt collector or inbound telemarketer service, to knowingly cause any caller identification service to transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information, including caller identification information that does not match the area code of the person or the debt collector or inbound telemarketer service the person is calling on behalf of, or is not a toll-free phone number, to a subscriber with the intent to induce the subscriber to answer. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 47, Chapter 18.
14. SB 2645 *Kyle (HB 2863 by *Towns)
Motor Vehicles- As introduced, increases, from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony, the penalty for a second or subsequent offense of aggravated reckless driving; requires a person who commits a second or subsequent offense of aggravated reckless driving to attend a driver education course and to have their license suspended for at least six months; requires law enforcement to seize a person's vehicle and crush, destroy, or sell the vehicle upon a second or subsequent offense of aggravated reckless driving. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 55, Chapter 10.
15. SB 1802 *Taylor, Johnson, Yager, Haile, Stevens (HB 2611 by *Zachary, Davis, Faison, McCalmon, Todd)
Attorney General and Reporter- As introduced, authorizes the attorney general and reporter to investigate human trafficking offenses, organized crime offenses, and related criminal activity; authorizes the attorney general and reporter to prosecute such offenses either with consent of the district attorney general or after appointment as district attorney general pro tempore by the supreme court; requires the Tennessee bureau of investigation to provide assistance to the attorney general and reporter as needed. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 6 and Title 38, Chapter 6.
16. SB 2186 *Taylor, Johnson, Yager (HB 1716 by *Gillespie)
Courts, General Sessions- As introduced, specifies that in a county with more than one general sessions judge, the management and supervision of any appointed judicial commissioners must rotate between the general sessions judges in the county on an annual basis. - Amends TCA Title 16; Title 17 and Title 40.
17. SB 2556 *Taylor (HB 2753 by *Carr)
District Attorneys- As introduced, requires each district attorney general to provide an annual report by March 1 to the governor and attorney general and reporter containing aggregate, non-personally identifying information on arrests, indictments, transfers, and dispositions in the previous calendar year; requires the attorney general and reporter to compile a statewide report summarizing the information provided by each district attorney general and submit the report to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and speaker of the senate for distribution to appropriate standing committees of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 8.
18. SB 2559 *Taylor (HB 2206 by *Gillespie, Martin G, Moon, Vaughan, White, Doggett, Davis, Carr, Raper, Hale, Moody)
Law Enforcement- As introduced, authorizes the import and export of human remains by state, local, and municipal law enforcement agencies for the purpose of human remains detection training; requires the Tennessee bureau of investigation, in consultation with the department of health, to promulgate rules regarding the secure storage of human remains, the use of human remains as a training aid for human remains detection training, and proper disposal methods for human remains, after such remains can no longer be used as a training aid. - Amends TCA Title 11; Title 38 and Title 68.
19. SB 2563 *Taylor, Rose (HB 1641 by *Lamberth, Hardaway, Russell, Davis, Howell)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, creates a Class A misdemeanor of violating a condition of release on bail; authorizes a law enforcement officer to arrest a person without a warrant based on probable cause to believe that the person has violated a condition of release. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.
20. SB 2564 *Taylor, Rose (HB 2696 by *Doggett)
Bail, Bail Bonds- As introduced, creates a Class A misdemeanor offense of violation of a condition of release; allows arrest without a warrant of a person committing the offense of violation of a condition of release; requires the violation of a condition of release to be punished as a misdemeanor criminal offense. - Amends TCA Title 40.
21. SB 2566 *Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager (HB 1718 by *Gillespie, Vaughan, White, Moody, Gant)
Bail, Bail Bonds- As introduced, requires any conditions of release imposed on a defendant to include a requirement that the defendant submit to pretrial monitoring to ensure compliance with the conditions; requires the court to order bail to be forfeited and an arrest warrant issued if the defendant does not comply with conditions of release; limits, to criminal or circuit court judges, those who may release a defendant who has been arrested for failure to comply with the conditions of release. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.
22. SB 2567 *Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager (HB 1933 by *Gillespie)
Bail, Bail Bonds- As introduced, prohibits the release of a person charged with a Class A or B felony on their own recognizance; requires a magistrate to set bail for a person charged with a Class A felony at $20,000 or more and for a person charged with a Class B felony at $10,000 or more. - Amends TCA Title 40.
23. SB 2570 *Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager, Bowling (HB 2031 by *Barrett, Sexton, Cepicky, Todd, Martin B, Vaughan, Sparks, Moon, Warner, Sherrell, Capley, Hale, Grills, Johnson C, Zachary, Faison, Lamberth, Richey, Garrett, McCalmon, Hicks T, Powers, Fritts, Keisling, Lafferty, Carringer, Whitson, Davis, Doggett, Farmer, Russell)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, increases the penalty for intentionally obstructing a highway, street, or other place used for the passage of vehicles or conveyances from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony; allows a person who suffers loss or injury as a result of such an offense to bring a cause of action against the offender to recover compensatory damages from the loss or injury. - Amends TCA Title 39.
24. SB 2573 *Taylor, Rose (HB 1932 by *Gillespie)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, specifies that punishment for organized retail theft or shoplifting should not be less than a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 68.
25. SB 2589 *Taylor (HB 2466 by *Stevens, Hardaway, Moody)
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation- As introduced, authorizes the bureau to provide a defendant with a certified copy of an order expunging the public records of a criminal offense following the dismissal of charges entered on behalf of the defendant; allows the bureau to charge a reasonable fee for the certified copy. - Amends TCA Title 38 and Title 40.
26. SB 2599 *Taylor (HB 2386 by *Gant, Grills, Lamberth)
Search & Seizure- As introduced, authorizes a law enforcement officer to execute a search warrant for medical records or a test to determine the alcohol or drug content, or both, of a person's blood anywhere in the state, rather than in the county in which the warrant was issued. - Amends TCA Title 40 and Title 55.
27. SB 2710 *Taylor (HB 2814 by *Gillespie, Hardaway)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, raises the penalty for the offense of drag racing from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. - Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 33 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 5.
28. SB 2805 *Taylor (HB 2916 by *Sexton)
Children- As introduced, changes from December 31 to December 1 the date by which the Tennessee commission on children and youth must annually publish a comprehensive report on the status of children and youth in this state and distribute the report to the governor, to each member of the general assembly, and to each of the state's depository libraries. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40.
29. SB 1952 *Stevens, Gardenhire (HB 2003 by *Farmer)
Guardians and Conservators- As introduced, allows a court to charge the cost of an attorney ad litem in a guardianship or conservatorship proceeding against the property of the respondent, the petitioner, or any other party or partially to any one or more of them as determined in the court's discretion. - Amends TCA Title 34.
30. SB 2048 *Stevens (HB 1825 by *Farmer)
Controlled Substances- As introduced, increases the limit on the amount of products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine base, or their salts, isomers, or salts of isomers that a pharmacy may sell or a person may purchase in a 30-day period from 5.76 grams to 7.2 grams; removes the limit on the amount of such products that may be purchased or sold within a one-year period. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 4.
31. SB 2049 *Stevens (HB 2099 by *Cochran)
District Attorneys- As introduced, requires the clerk of every court having jurisdiction of criminal offenses to include a $12.50 charge in every cost bill, to be remitted to the county government to provide support services for the purpose of promoting public safety at the sole discretion of the district attorney general; takes effect upon two-thirds vote of the county legislative body or, if the county is imposing a similar fee to benefit the public defender’s office, upon written request and notice by the district attorney general to the county executive and the circuit court clerk of such county. - Amends TCA Title 40.
32. SB 2044 *Lundberg (HB 2188 by *Lamberth)
Sentencing- As introduced, states that, for inmates serving a sentence of two years or more for an offense committed on or after July 1, 2024, sentence reduction credits shall not operate to alter the defendant's sentence expiration date, but may be used to reduce the percentage of the sentence imposed by the court that the person must serve before becoming eligible for release on parole; requires release eligibility for each defendant to occur when the defendant becomes eligible for parole or upon expiration of the entire sentence imposed on a defendant. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40 and Title 41.
33. SB 2551 *Lundberg (HB 2780 by *Parkinson)
Children- caption related to restitution in cases of parentage fraud. You are not the father.
34. SB 2844 *Roberts (HB 2686 by *Doggett, Lamberth)
Expunction- As introduced, clarifies that an eligible petitioner may file a petition for expunction under certain circumstances if the offense the person is seeking to expunge occurred prior to any conviction for an offense that is not eligible for expunction; allows an eligible petitioner who has been convicted of more than two offenses to seek expunction of two eligible offenses under certain circumstances; makes various other clarifications relating to expunction laws. - Amends TCA Section 40-32-101.
35. SB 2860 *Roberts, Campbell (HB 2647 by *Ragan)
Children's Services, Dept. of- independent oversight of juvenile detention centers
36. SB 1820 *Rose (HB 2000 by *Farmer, Lamberth)
Attorney General and Reporter- As introduced, empowers the attorney general to fix the attorney general's and their assistant's compensation; limits the attorney general's salary to an associate justice on the supreme court or a Class 1 official; permits the attorney general to pay salaries in periodic installments. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 6.
37. SB 1969 *Rose (HB 2693 by *Doggett)
Mental Illness- As introduced, requires the court that finds a person incompetent to stand trial for a criminal offense due to intellectual disability to also determine whether the person is subject to involuntary care and treatment at the hearing in which the person is declared incompetent; states that the district attorney general is not required to file a complaint to require involuntary care and treatment for a person who is found incompetent to stand trial due to intellectual disability in order to commit the person. - Amends TCA Section 33-5-403.
38. SB 1971 *Rose (HB 1895 by *Zachary, Faison, Grills, Lamberth, Fritts, Hawk, Hill, Sherrell, Butler)
Abortion- As introduced, creates the criminal offense of abortion trafficking of a minor; provides for a civil action against a person committing the offense of abortion trafficking of a minor for the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 6; Title 29; Title 37 and Title 39.
39. SB 2041 *Rose (HB 2159 by *Barrett, Capley, Todd)
Obscenity and Pornography- As introduced, specifies that a person or entity that produces, sells, sends, or distributes obscene matter in violation of state law may be held civilly liable for damages to an injured party. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 9.
40. SB 2229 *Rose (HB 2301 by *Howell)
Criminal Offenses- Requires certain drug offenses to be punished as second-degree murder if the substance involved is fentanyl or carfentanyl, or any analogue or derivative thereof, either alone or in combination with any substance scheduled as a controlled substance by the Tennessee Drug Control Act of 1989, and the offense resulted in the death of another person.
41. SB 2654 *White (HB 2790 by *Littleton)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, creates a Class B misdemeanor that is committed when a person knowingly tampers with, removes, or vandalizes a monitoring device that the person is required to use as a condition of bond, probation, or parole; requires an entity monitoring such a device to notify the court with jurisdiction over the person's bond, board of parole, or probation officer upon becoming aware that there has been an attempt to either tamper with, disable, remove, or otherwise make the device ineffective. - Amends TCA Title 40.
42. SB 2669 *White, Bowling (HB 1911 by *Bulso, Moody, Hardaway)
Criminal Offenses- As introduced, increases the penalties for certain violations of the offense of unlawful photography; requires the court, rather than allowing the court discretion, to order a person convicted of certain unlawful photography offenses to register as a sexual offender; makes various other changes to the offense of unlawful photography. - Amends TCA Section 39-13-605 and Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2.
2 p.m. State & Local Government
1. SB 2635 *Rose (HB 2787 by *Barrett, Hill, White)
Codes- As introduced, authorizes a local government to amend adopted building codes to include three-family dwellings and four-family dwellings within the scope of the residential code. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 120.
2. SB 2898 *Bailey (HB 2642 by *Lamberth)
State Government- Prohibits a governmental entity that regulates entertainment transportation from: (1) refusing to renew a permit to a business that provides entertainment transportation if the permit was issued prior to the effective date of the act, or (2) revoking a permit except for good cause shown in an administrative hearing.
State interference in regulating transportainment
4. SB 2172 *Hensley (HB 2312 by *Baum)
Taxes, Ad Valorem- As introduced, authorizes municipal tax collectors and taxing entities to also accept partial payments of delinquent property taxes in the same manner as county trustees; requires such officials to include in their plan for accepting partial payments a description of the accounting system technology or manual processes to be used to record partial payments of delinquent property taxes and a statement indicating that funds received as partial payments on delinquent property taxes will reduce the amount of delinquent property tax, interest, statutory fees, and court costs, by relative amounts on a pro-rata basis. - Amends TCA Section 67-5-2001.
5. SB 1705 *Hensley (HB 1798 by *Rudd)
Election Laws- Previously, the amendment required the coordinator of elections to develop and maintain uniform standards and requirements for county election commission facilities ensure the proper administration of elections in each county. But under the new amendment, the bill only changes the rules for storing voting systems.
6. SB 2112 *Niceley, Campbell, Crowe (HB 2244 by *Farmer)
Local Government, General- Allows a mixed-use development including a sports facility to be added to the tourism development zone located in Sevierville. It must be adopted by a 2/3s vote of the local government. It permits a privilege tax up to 5% of sales within the mixed-use development and allows more than one rate to be charged within the qualified public use facility.
7. SB 1761 *Niceley (HB 1850 by *Reedy)
Zoning- As introduced, prohibits counties and municipalities from adopting and enforcing regulations to prohibit gardening and raising limited numbers of chickens or rabbits at single-family residences. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 43.
8. SB 2586 *Taylor (HB 1955 by *Rudd, McCalmon)
Election Laws- It establishes that the date on which an applicant signs a voter registration application is presumed to be the date on which the person or organization received or collected the application. It prohibits a person or organization from providing a voter registration application with any information being pre-filled out. It prohibits a person convicted of certain felonies to collect or handle a voter registration application from another person. It prohibits a person collecting voter registrations from altering a voter registration form without the person’s knowledge. It authorizes the state election commission to impose up to a $5000 civil penalty for certain violations.
9. SB 2711 *Taylor (HB 2868 by *Vaughan)
Taxes, Hotel Motel- As introduced, authorizes a municipality to change the allocation of revenue, but not its designated use, of a privilege tax upon the privilege of occupancy in a hotel if the tax preexisted July 1, 2021.
10. SB 2020 *Reeves (HB 1695 by *Alexander, Lamberth, McCalmon, Hicks T, Eldridge, Crawford, Williams)
Autopsies- As introduced, specifies that reports of county medical examiners and autopsy reports of victims of violent crime who are minors are not public documents; allows a parent or legal guardian of a minor victim of a violent crime to consent to the release of the report of the county medical examiner or autopsy report of the minor victim if the parent or legal guardian is not a suspect in the circumstances of the minor's death.
Covenant death records.
11. SB 2813 *Reeves (HB 2373 by *Terry)
Open Meetings- As introduced, authorizes a governing body to provide a period of public comment for each item on an agenda for a public meeting or at the end of the agenda for comment collectively on matters germane to the items on the agenda. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 44.
12. SB 2261 *Reeves, Hensley, White (HB 2426 by *Hicks T, Cepicky, Rudd, Stevens, Jernigan)
County Government- It increases the initial tax rate cap, from $1.00 per square foot to $1.50 per square foot, on residential property, and authorizes counties to impose such tax rate on commercial properties as well. It authorizes a county to levy a tax if it experiences growth rate of 20 percent or more in population from the 2010 federal census to the 2020 federal census, or between any subsequent federal decennial census or a nine percent growth in population over four consecutive years.
County Facilities Privilege Tax for fast-growing counties and no one else.
13. SB 2158 *Haile, Yager (HB 2774 by *McCalmon, Bulso, Rudd, Davis, Capley, Carr, Littleton, Alexander, Carringer, Doggett, Cochran, Fritts, Hulsey, Sherrell, Williams, Martin B, Rudder, Boyd, Zachary, Garrett)
Immigration- establishes the procedure for the district attorney general conference to collect and compile data on the cost incurred by the state as a direct result of known illegal aliens charged or convicted of a criminal offense and submit a joint report to the Governor and the Speakers of the General Assembly.
14. SB 2634 *Haile (HB 2716 by *Garrett, Crawford, Howell, Todd, Littleton, Alexander, Lynn, Powers)
General Assembly- As introduced, prohibits a local legislative body from electing a member, who was expelled for disorderly behavior, to fill a vacancy in the general assembly that was created because of the member's expulsion. -
Ban Rep. Jones / Pearson bill.
15. SB 2052 *Lamar (HB 2202 by *Miller)
General Assembly- As introduced, increases the monthly home office allowance for members of the general assembly from $1,250 per month to $2,250 per month. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 1.
16. SB 2448 *Akbari (HB 2215 by *Parkinson)
Real Property- As introduced, enacts the Real Estate Fraud Reduction Act, which requires county registers of deeds and notaries public to verify the identity of a person recording or notarizing a document relating to certain real estate transactions, as applicable, using a government-issued identification card; requires such registers and notaries to document and maintain as a permanent record certain personally identifying information of a person recording or notarizing such a document; specifies penalties for violations by a notary public.
17. SB 2726 *Akbari, Campbell (HB 2657 by *Chism)
Election Laws- As introduced, requires county election commissions to include three non-binding questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the November 2024 ballot; requires the secretary of state to compile the results of the non-binding, advisory referendum, publish the results on the secretary of state's website, and forward the results to the members of the general assembly. - Amends TCA Title 2.
18. SB 2007 *Campbell (HB 1960 by *Powell, Behn, Jernigan)
Hospitals and Health Care Facilities- As introduced, authorizes public hospitals, upon approval of the hospital's governing body, to establish a state employee and retiree healthcare incentive program that will allow for the waiver of applicable out-of-pocket expenses associated with medical care at the public hospital for state employees and retirees and their covered dependents participating in the state group insurance plan. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27.
19. SB 2867 *Oliver (HB 2415 by *Dixie, Behn)
Election Laws- As introduced, establishes automatic restoration of voting rights for people who complete their sentence; adds seditious conspiracy to list of offenses that make a person ineligible to register and vote. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 40 and Title 41.
21. SB 2724 *Jackson (HB 2873 by *Wright)
State Government- Authorizes the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house to remove a member of the inmate disciplinary oversight board, whom they appointed, for cause.
22. SB 2427 *Jackson (HB 2607 by *Carringer)
Alcoholic Beverages- As introduced, authorizes retail package store licensees and beer permittees to sell hemp-based products; prohibits retail package store licensees from charging certain fees. - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3 and Title 57, Chapter 5.
23. SB 2352 *Jackson (HB 2523 by *Grills)
Utilities, Utility Districts- As introduced, increases, from $200 to $400, the monthly compensation for the board of directors of the Reelfoot Lake regional utility and planning district; authorizes the board of directors to participate in the group medical and life insurance plan provided to district employees, to be reimbursed for premiums paid for equivalent or similar medical and life insurance coverage, and to be reimbursed for premiums paid for medical insurance coverage by medicare. - Amends Chapter 222 of the Public Acts of 1983, as amended by Chapter 488 of the Public Acts of 2021.
24. SB 2184 *Walley (HB 2345 by *Bricken)
Emergency Communications Districts- As introduced, transfers the state emergency communications board to the department of safety from the department of commerce and insurance. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 7, Chapter 86.
25. SB 0129 *Walley (HB 0526 by *Haston, Gant, Moody)
Utilities, Utility Districts- As introduced, removes requirement for receipt of certain grants and loans for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure projects that a municipality includes depreciation in its calculation of fees or rates. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68.
26. SB 0145 *Walley (HB 0133 by *Lamberth, Leatherwood, Harris)
Election Laws- It requires candidates to file nominating petitions by the second Tuesday in March for: any office to be filled at the regular November election for which a primary is required to be held at the regular August election; any office to be filled in a regular August general election for which a May primary has not been called; any municipal election held in conjunction with the regular August election; and for any office to be filled in a regular August election for which a March or May primary is not held. This bill takes effect after the November 2024 election.
27. SB 2643 *Walley (HB 2639 by *Gant, Vaughan)
County Boundaries- It alters the boundary line between Fayette County and Shelby County and becomes effective January 1, 2025.
28. SB 2317 *Yager (HB 2114 by *Powers)
Open Meetings- As introduced, requires, beginning July 1, 2024, public notices that are required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation to also be published on a free-to-access news and information website in the county if the website meets certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 1 and Title 8, Chapter 44.
29. SB 2329 *Yager (HB 2354 by *Zachary)
Public Health- As introduced, prohibits a state or local government entity, school, or local education agency from implementing a mask mandate related to COVID-19. - Amends TCA Title 14.
30. SB 2515 *Yager (HB 2304 by *Fritts, Alexander, Capley, Butler, Hurt)
Safety, Dept. of- Creates a reporting format for local law enforcement to use monthly for the reporting of interaction with undocumented persons.
31. SB 1723 *Lowe (HB 1794 by *Rudd)
Election Laws- As introduced, enacts the "Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act." - Amends TCA Title 2.
32. SB 2203 *Lowe (HB 2208 by *Fritts)
Economic and Community Development- As introduced, expresses the intent of the general assembly that the membership of joint economic and community development boards be representative of the populations of the cities and counties for which the boards are formed. - Amends TCA Title 6, Chapter 58.
33. SB 2129 *Lowe (HB 2200 by *McCalmon)
Alcoholic beverages- Bill would require alcohol retailers to use a “secure identity verification system” that uses an electronic scan of a unique physical characteristic identifiable to the individual for the purpose of determining whether or not the person is eligible to purchase alcohol.
34. SB 1580 *Lowe (HB 1818 by *Butler)
Public Officials- As introduced, creates a recall process for elected non-constitutional public officials. - Amends TCA Title 2 and Title 8.
35. SB 2058 *Lowe, Stevens (HB 2694 by *Doggett, Fritts)
State Government- As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee State Sovereignty Act of 2024." - Amends TCA Title 3.
36. SB 0793 *Stevens (HB 1450 by *Faison)
Housing- Establish the process for assessment and valuation of low-income housing properties for property tax purposes. Applies to residential property and projects developed on or after January 1, 2025.
Assessors of properties are opposed.
37. SB 2834 *Stevens (HB 2925 by *Sexton)
Utilities, Utility Districts- Major preemption fire safety standards in building codes. Requires utilities to pay developers for infrastructure development.
38. SB 0574 *Pody (HB 0694 by *Fritts, Butler, Capley, Reedy)
State Government- prohibits a political subdivision or public official to declare any workers non-essential during a state of emergency. It creates legal standing to bring civil action against a political subdivision or public official who violate this act.
39. SB 2631 *Pody (HB 1616 by *Richey)
Election Laws- As introduced, prescribes a process by which a person must declare a statewide political party or recognized minor party affiliation before voting in a primary election; designates persons who choose not to affiliate with a political party as "Unaffiliated"; authorizes unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections. - Amends TCA Title 2.
40. HJR 0803 *Fritts, Raper, Love, Davis, Lamberth, Todd, McCalmon, Sherrell, Carringer, Hulsey, Slater, Grills, Capley, Barrett, Richey, White, Faison, Hill, Warner, Butler, Hicks G, Martin B, Zachary, Burkhart, Alexander, Boyd, Williams, Sparks, McKenzie (HJR 0803 Pody)
General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position- Designates the period of July 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024, as a time of prayer and fasting in Tennessee and seeks God’s hand of mercy healing on Tennessee. -
41. SB 1798 *Yarbro, Campbell (HB 1870 by *Freeman, Behn)
Alcoholic Beverage Commission- As introduced, requires the training curriculum for a program of alcohol awareness that applicants for a server permit must complete to include training to recognize signs indicating that a person may be under the influence of a date rape drug and signs indicating that a person may be the victim of sex trafficking or labor trafficking. - Amends TCA Title 57.
42. SB 1800 *Yarbro (HB 1672 by *Freeman, Behn)
Alcoholic Beverages- As introduced, authorizes certain legislative bodies, by a two-thirds majority vote, to expand the hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises and beer on Sundays consistent with the hours for sale on weekdays. - Amends TCA Title 57, Chapter 3; Title 57, Chapter 4 and Title 57, Chapter 5.
43. SB 2238 *Yarbro (HB 2467 by *Stevens)
Taxes, Real Property- As introduced, authorizes a county to create a program by which an owner of real property in the county may apply for a classification of the property as zoning-exempt property, which values the property based on the zoning classification that existed at the time the owner came into possession of the property and its current use. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5.
44. SB 2270 *Yarbro (HB 2674 by *Shaw)
Purchasing and Procurement- As introduced, authorizes the chief procurement officer to develop regulations, policies, procedures, templates, or other guidance related to the acquisition of information systems and software, in coordination with the division of strategic technology solutions and the information systems council. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 56.
45. SB 2237 *Yarbro (HB 2423 by *Shaw)
Housing- As introduced, entitles each county and municipality that adopts certain zoning reform strategies that support housing development to receive from the department of revenue up to 20 percent of the revenue collected from the recordation tax based on transactions in the respective jurisdiction. - Amends TCA Title 13, Chapter 7 and Title 67.
46. SB 2347 *Yarbro (HB 2414 by *Dixie)
Election Laws- As introduced, changes the deadline for a person to register to vote from 30 days before an election to 15 days before an election. - Amends TCA Title 2.
47. SB 2239 *Yarbro, Campbell (HB 2439 by *Sparks)
Local Government, General- As introduced, authorizes any local government in this state to create a land bank; authorizes a local government to post on its website, if available, a link to a state website or publication identifying surplus real property for sale or conveyance. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 12, Chapter 2 and Title 13.
48. SB 1676 *Briggs, Bowling (HB 2240 by *Cochran, Hawk, White)
Taxes, Hotel Motel- As introduced, requires a municipality levying the hotel-motel tax under general law to submit a report annually detailing how the revenue earned from the tax is used by the municipality; requires the comptroller of the treasury to audit the reports of the municipality; requires a municipality found to have used the funds improperly to appropriate general funds in the same amount for promotion of tourism and tourism development; prohibits a municipality, on and after July 1, 2025, from levying or increasing the hotel-motel tax if the aggregate total tax would exceed 8 percent.
49. SB 2355 *Briggs (HB 2658 by *Holsclaw)
Alcoholic Beverage Commission- As introduced, requires the commission to levy certain fines and suspend the server permit of a person for certain violations, including the sale of alcohol or beer to a person who is under 21 years of age. - Amends TCA Section 57-4-203.
50. SB 2281 *Briggs (HB 2850 by *Hill)
Real Property- Prohibits a local governing body (LGB) from prohibiting, effectively prohibiting, or otherwise limiting the ability of a person to use commercial property or owner-occupied or renter-occupied property (OP) as a short-term rental unit (STRU). Authorizes an LGB to regulate such STRUs, upon approval by the LGB or by referendum.
51. SB 1675 *Briggs (HB 2241 by *Cochran)
Taxes, Hotel Motel- Prohibits a municipality from levying or increasing a privilege tax on occupancy in a hotel in an amount that results in the aggregate total tax on the privilege of occupancy in a hotel within the jurisdiction exceeding eight percent.
According to the Municipal Technical Advisory Service, 32 cities currently exceed the proposed eight percent cap. These cities would be required to reduce their occupancy taxes, resulting in an unknown decrease in local revenue
54. SB 2658 *White (HB 2608 by *Stevens)
Taxes, Privilege- caption
55. SB 2900 *Bailey (HB 2719 by *Garrett)
Tennessee Housing Development Agency- caption
56. SB 2313 *Johnson (HB 2271 by *Slater)
Registers of Deeds- caption