8:30 a.m. - Transportation & Safety - Watch - SB1086 by Johnson
- Multiple states have passed laws allowing undocumented people to obtain driver's licenses to promote road safety and insurance coverage. Tennessee is going the opposite direction.
- Senate Bill 1086 would invalidate out-of-state licenses issued under these circumstances and criminalize the drivers for non-threatening behavior.
- This bill sets a dangerous precedent: Not only does it invite racial profiling and harassment, it establishes that Tennessee is unwilling to respect the laws enacted by other states, creating legal and logistical conflicts between state governments.
Grundy County is tired of smelling Chattanooga’s sh*t
9 a.m. - Energy, Agriculture & Nat. Resources - Watch - SB1263 by Bowling
- Senate Bill 1263 would give Grundy County the legal authority to regulate the application of human sewage on farmland in the community. The county mayor confirmed the “biosolids” were being shipped in from Chattanooga.
- Residents have begged their local leaders for regulations to protect them from the smell and runoff, but state law prohibits the county from taking action.
GOP bill lets developers keep installing leaky sewer systems in subdivisions
9 a.m. - Energy, Agriculture & Nat. Resources - Watch - SB0564 by Pody
- Some alternative sewer systems being installed by developers in suburbs are leaking raw sewage into neighborhood spaces. NewsChannel 5’s Ben Hall found a luxury home in Wilson County, where sewage was flowing into a drain that leads right to Old Hickory Lake.
- In fact, state officials found that half of the 370 “alternative” drip-field sewage systems operating in Tennessee are out of compliance, with a quarter of them actively leaking raw sewage into neighborhoods and waterways.
- Instead of requiring stricter performance standards, Senate Bill 564 allows developers to continue installing these failing systems — leaving homeowners and HOAs to clean up future messes.
U.S. Chamber bill would block regulation of ‘forever chemicals’
9 a.m. - Energy, Agriculture & Nat. Resources - Watch - SB 0880 *Reeves
- The U.S. Chamber – the national lobbying group for big businesses – is going state by state pressing politicians for new laws that prevent the regulation of “forever chemicals,” also called PFAs.
- PFAs – per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances – are a group of man-made chemicals that do not break down in the environment. These “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to disease, infertility and even death, have been found in 60% of the waters in Northeast Tennessee.
- Senate Bill 880 would prohibit state agencies from adopting public health and safety regulations on pollutants and hazardous waste until officials prove an exposure to the toxin caused "manifest bodily harm" to people.
Could a measure banning a state tax on property undermine corporate tax collections?
11:30 a.m. - Senate Regular Calendar - Watch - SJR 0001 *Haile
- Tennessee Republicans are about to advance a constitutional amendment banning any state tax on property — which sounds fine until you realize it could blow a hole in corporate tax collections.
- If the measure is adopted, I assume a creative corporate attorney will immediately challenge the state’s franchise tax, which includes the value of real property in its calculation.
- If the challenge happens and courts agree, the state would lose hundreds of millions in revenue and given Tennessee’s track record of folding on weaker tax challenges, don’t be surprised when it happens.
GOP would penalize doctors, nurses who ask patients about firearms
1 p.m. CT - Health & Welfare - Watch - SB 0474 *Bowling
- Gun shot wounds are the number one cause of death for children in Tennessee and a leading cause of injuries for Tennesseans of all ages.
- Despite the prevalence of firearm-related injuries, Senate Bill 474 would penalize doctors, nurses and all healthcare providers for asking a patient whether they own a gun.
- It’s another attempt by state Republicans to insert government between patients and their medical providers.
Food Police: Republicans would ban SNAP purchases for candy, soft drinks
1 p.m. CT - Health & Welfare - Watch - SB 1154 *Crowe
Oliver bill enacts universal pre-K, cuts preschool costs for working families
Noon CT - Health & Welfare - Watch - SB 0270 *Oliver, Campbell
- Senate Bill 270 by Sen. Charlane Oliver would enact the Universal Pre-K Funding Act, giving every four-year-old in the state access to high-quality, public preschool.
- New research from the National Bureau of Economic Research underscores the transformative impact of universal pre-K on working families. According to their findings, universal pre-K reduces preschool costs, increases parental earnings by 21.7%, and generates $5.51 in after-tax benefits for families for every dollar spent on the program.
G.O.P. eyes state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools
3 p.m. - Education - Watch - SB0714 by Taylor
- Republican-backed legislation that would strip power from the locally elected Memphis-Shelby County Schools board and create a state-appointed panel to oversee the district is scheduled to get its first hearing in the state Senate.
- Here’s a novel idea! Instead of taking over local schools, Republicans in the legislature could invest in public school students. Under Republican control, Tennessee ranks 45th in the nation for per student spending – behind all eight of our neighboring states.
Equal Opportunities for Girls’ Sports Act gets first hearing
3 p.m. - Education - Watch - SB 1327 *Akbari
- The Tennessee Equal Opportunities for Girls’ Sports Act by Sen. Raumesh Akbari will ensure girls in Tennessee have equal access to funding, facilities and resources in school athletics.
- While Tennessee lawmakers have passed multiple laws restricting participation in girls’ sports, there are no laws guaranteeing that female athletes receive the funding, equipment, coaching, and opportunities they need to compete on a level playing field.
- The bill also creates a clear process for addressing inequities. If a female athlete finds that her team faces disparities in funding or resources, she or her parents can file a complaint with the Department of Education, which will be required to investigate and allocate additional funds to fix the issue.
Full Schedule below
8:30 a.m. Transportation and Safety Committee
**Final Calendar**
1. SB0373 by Rose. (*HB0352 by Hurt.)
Highways, Roads and Bridges - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 54 and Title 55. As introduced, clarifies that the plans for an acquisition of a right-of-way by the state must be filed and recorded with the office of the register in each county where the project is located if the project is located in multiple counties.
2. SB1086 by Johnson. (*HB0749 by Reeves.)
Driver Licenses - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50. As introduced, creates the Class B misdemeanor offense of operating a motor vehicle in this state with an invalid driver license; designates out-of-state driver licenses issued exclusively to illegal aliens as invalid driver licenses in this state.
More anti-immigrant, legislative overreach.
3. SB1307 by Johnson. (*HB0127 by Lamberth.)
Highways, Roads and Bridges - Amends TCA Section 67-3-901 and Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 32. As introduced, extends the authority for local governments to levy a surcharge on local privilege taxes to fund a transportation improvement program to all cities instead of only Chattanooga, Clarksville, Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis, and to all counties instead of only Wilson, Washington, Blount, Sullivan, Sumner, Montgomery, Williamson, Rutherford, Hamilton, Knox, Davidson, and Shelby counties; expands the use of such local surcharge revenue for highway and bridge projects, in addition to mass transit projects.
9 a.m. Energy, Agriculture & Natural Resources
**Final Calendar**
1. *SB1264 by Johnson. (HB1303 by Lamberth.)
Agriculture, Dept. of - Amends TCA Title 43, Chapter 1, Part 1; Section 43-10-118; Section 43-11-405; Section 43-8-104; Section 44-10-203; Section 44-11-105; Section 44-6-104; Section 47-26-1010; Section 53-1-204; Section 53-3-105; Section 53-3-106; Section 53-7-216 and Section 53-8-106. As introduced, establishes June 30 as the expiration date for certain licenses issued by the department.
2. *SB1265 by Johnson. (HB1302 by Lamberth.)
Agriculture, Dept. of - Amends TCA Title 53, Chapter 7 and Chapter 380 of the Public Acts of 2023. As introduced, revises the Tennessee Meat Inspection Act to facilitate the implementation of a state meat inspection program.
3. SB1274 by Johnson. (*HB0124 by Lamberth.)
Environment and Conservation, Department of - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 203, Part 1 and Title 68, Chapter 211, Part 1. As introduced, makes various changes related to fees set by the department for environmental regulatory programs; makes changes to the regulation of coal combustion residuals disposal units.
4. SB1275 by Johnson. (*HB0123 by Lamberth.)
Mining and Quarrying - Amends TCA Title 59, Chapter 8, Part 3. As introduced, revises certain requirements to file liens for the reclamation of abandoned coal mining lands.
5. SB1276 by Johnson. (*HB0125 by Lamberth.)
Parks, Natural Areas Preservation - Amends TCA Section 67-4-409. As introduced, requires a county or municipal government that receives a grant from the local parks land acquisition fund for a project located within a county designated as distressed or at-risk by the Appalachian Regional Commission at the time of the grant application to match the grant with an amount of money equal to 25 percent of the project, instead of requiring a match with an amount of money equal to the grant.
6. SB1277 by Johnson. (*HB0126 by Lamberth.)
Parks, Natural Areas Preservation - Amends TCA Title 11, Chapter 14, Part 1. As introduced, revises the descriptions of existing state natural areas and designates new natural areas.
7. *SB1306 by Johnson. (HB1321 by Lamberth.)
Tourist Development, Dept. of - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 22. As introduced, creates a marketing division within the department to replace the tourism division; authorizes the department to enter into agreements with the department of transportation to assist with maintenance of welcome center facilities; creates a welcome centers division within the department to oversee such centers throughout the state; directs the commissioner of finance and administration to transfer from highway user taxes allocated to the highway fund an amount sufficient to support the annual appropriation for implementation and administration of all welcome centers in the state.
8. SB0519 by Roberts. (*HB0219 by Reedy.)
Real Property - Amends TCA Title 66, Chapter 2, Part 3. As introduced, requires foreign persons who purchase land in this state and who file a report of such purchase to the United States department of agriculture under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to also file the report with the commissioner of agriculture.
9. SB0520 by Roberts. (*HB0220 by Reedy.)
Water Authorities - Amends TCA Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11. As introduced, expands the areas served by the West Tennessee River Basin Authority to include Perry, Stewart, Houston, and Humphreys counties.
10. SB0968 by Southerland. (*HB0747 by Fritts.)
Energy - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 204. As introduced, changes the administrative, reporting, oversight, and accountability of the state energy policy council from the state energy policy council to the department of economic and community development and the department of environment and conservation.
11. SB0970 by Southerland. (*HB0660 by Jones R.)
Water Authorities - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 68. As introduced, permits authorities formed and certified by municipalities under the Municipal Energy Authority Act to have certain water and wastewater treatment powers to the extent that the authority’s exercise of such powers does not conflict with any ordinances or rules adopted by another local government having jurisdiction over such matters.
12. *SB1352 by Akbari. (HB1397 by Pearson.)
Environment and Conservation, Department of - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 59; Title 60; Title 68 and Title 69. As introduced, requires the department to create and maintain an informational tool on the department's website that provides data related to the presence of facilities that are required to submit toxic release inventory data to the environmental protection agency.
13. SB1138 by Taylor. (*HB0543 by Vaughan.)
Sewage - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 35; Title 7, Chapter 82 and Title 68, Chapter 221. As introduced, prohibits a municipal sewer system or utility district that has operated a sewerage system outside of the corporate boundaries of the city or town for 25 years or more from ceasing operation of the sewerage system outside the corporate boundaries so long as the sewerage system maintains sufficient capacity, as determined by a study conducted by TACIR.
Watch. Legislative overreach. Forcing the Memphis-owned utility into a decision that benefits a developer and is not in the policy of the utility.
14. SB0664 by Taylor. (*HB0612 by Vaughan.)
Water Pollution - Amends TCA Title 69, Chapter 3. As introduced, expands from wetlands to all areas that an aquatic resource alteration permit may apply to the areas for which the department of environment and conservation is required to exempt from compensatory mitigation an amount of area equal in size to the area for which mitigation would not be required if the permit applicant qualified for coverage under a general permit, if the only factor that disqualifies an applicant for an aquatic resource alteration permit from having the activities for which a permit is sought covered under a general permit is the size of the area that the permit will apply to.
15. *SB0720 by Hatcher. (HB0894 by Todd.)
Boards and Commissions - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 69. As introduced, increases, from two to three, the number of full consecutive terms that an appointive member of the board of ground water management may serve.
16. *SB0128 by Bailey. (HB0164 by Marsh.)
Professions and Occupations - veterinary chiropractor
17. SB0918 by Campbell. (*HB0940 by Camper.)
Boats, Boating - Amends TCA Title 69, Chapter 9. As introduced, increases from 12 to 16, the minimum age for operating a personal watercraft without direct adult supervision; requires persons operating personal watercraft to maintain financial responsibility in the same amounts applicable to motor vehicles.
18. SB1263 by Bowling. (*HB1122 by Bricken.)
Solid Waste Disposal - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 68, Chapter 211; Title 68, Chapter 221 and Title 69. As introduced, creates exception to the state regulation of biosolids by authorizing the legislative body of Grundy County to regulate such activities.
Grundy County wants to crack down on companies spreading human sewage in their community
19. *SB1033 by Bowling. (HB1112 by Fritts.)
Air Pollution - Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 2 and Title 68, Chapter 201. As introduced, designates the intentional injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of chemicals, chemical compounds, substances, or apparatus within the borders of this state into the atmosphere with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight, or supplying or otherwise providing the chemicals, chemical compounds, substances, or apparatus required for the conduct, as a Class A misdemeanor; makes other changes related to investigations and enforcement related to weather modification.
Arrest the chemtrails!
20. *SB1038 by Bowling. (HB1060 by Howell.)
Game and Fish Laws - Amends TCA Section 70-2-106. As introduced, increases the fee that county clerks and other agents are authorized to collect from purchases of hunting and fishing licenses from $1.00 to $3.00 for annual licenses and $.50 to $3.00 for temporary licenses.
21. SB0843 by Walley. (*HB0842 by Crawford.)
Taxes, Real Property - Amends TCA Section 67-4-409. As introduced, requires half the revenue collected from recordation taxes be returned to the county in which the real property is located on a recurring basis; applies to transfers of real property on or after July 1, 2025.
Watch. Robs the Wetland Acquisition Fund to pay TWRA officers…
22. *SB0381 by Walley. (HB0513 by Hurt.)
Environment and Conservation, Department of - Amends TCA Title 1, Chapter 3; Title 43; Title 44; Title 68 and Title 69. As introduced, changes, from January 31 to February 15, the date by which the commissioner must submit reports related to the administration of the Water Quality Control Act of 1977 to legislative committees with jurisdiction over environmental matters.
Caption
23. *SB0930 by Walley. (HB1062 by Vital.)
Environment and Conservation, Department of - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 11; Title 66; Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 4; Title 68 and Title 69. As introduced, increases, from three to five days after receipt, the maximum time that the department has to publish on the department's website a notice of intent to appeal a final order by the board of water quality, oil and gas or an administrative judge.
Caption
24. *SB0564 by Pody. (HB0803 by Grills.)
Water - as amended, creates a right of first refusal for local public utilities (water systems of counties, metro governments, or incorporated cities) once an initial application for a treatment works, which meets department standards, has been submitted by developers of subdivisions for approval by the utility.
Watch. Lagoons of shit! It's a Homebuilders bill. It would allow developers to sidestep local sewage utilities and contract private companies to engineer and build "alternative" sewer systems that , according to TDEC, are having big problems across the state. Developers make their money and then pass future costs and headache of poorly engineered systems onto homeowners and HOAs. So much for "affordable" housing. SELC's letter goes into detail.
TDEC: Half of the state’s sewage drip systems are out of compliance and a quarter are actively leaking raw sewage into adjacent properties
25. *SB0258 by Pody. (HB1139 by Boyd.)
Water - Amends TCA Title 68. As introduced, excludes a water treatment facility that treats solely for the purpose of softening hard water from the definition of a public water system under the Tennessee Safe Drinking Water Act.
26. *SB1058 by Pody. (HB1086 by Hulsey.)
Livestock - Amends TCA Title 44 and Title 58. As introduced, requires the commissioner of agriculture and the state veterinarian to receive prior approval from the joint government operations committee of the house of representatives and the senate to order vaccinations and tests for animals in this state; removes the requirement that an owner of a dead animal be liable for the sanitary disposition of the animal; clarifies indemnity procedures for a destroyed animal.
Anti-vaxx, now for animals!
27. *SB0558 by Reeves. (HB0921 by Cepicky.)
Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission - Amends TCA Title 70. As introduced, authorizes the commission to regulate the operation of sport shooting ranges rather than firing ranges; authorizes the Tennessee wildlife resources agency to establish fees for the use of such ranges in operation prior to July 1, 1998.
28. *SB0884 by Reeves. (HB1143 by Boyd.)
Energy - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13; Title 64; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68. As introduced, clarifies that a political subdivision that imposes requirements or expectations related to the type of clean or green, or renewable, energy used by a public utility in an ordinance, resolution, or other regulation must include certain sources of energy as permissible sources of clean or green, or renewable, energy, regardless of whether the political subdivision classifies the requirements or expectations as relating to clean or green, or renewable, energy.
29. *SB0885 by Reeves. (HB1133 by Boyd.)
Taxes - Amends TCA Title 67. As introduced, allows nuclear energy production facilities to seek pollution control tax credits for certain machinery and equipment.
Watch. Interesting details in the fiscal note: There is one small modular reactor (SMR) planned to begin operations by 2033. It is assumed that the proposed exemption will apply to machinery and equipment purchased with regards to the construction of the SMR, if such purchases are not made directly by TVA. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) January 2024 report entitled Capital Cost and Performance Characteristics for Utility-Scale Electric Power Generating Technologies, capital costs for an SMR range between $1,000,000,000 and $5,000,000,000. According to the Tennessee Nuclear Energy Advisory Council’s Final Report and Recommendations released in October 2024, the construction costs of an SMR in Tennessee is estimated to be approximately $1,400,000,000.
30. *SB0438 by Reeves. (HB0667 by Terry.)
Environment and Conservation, Department of - With amendment, creates an advisory task force on solid waste to examine and review issues related to solid waste.
31. SB0874 by Reeves. (*HB0901 by Todd.)
Agriculture - Amends TCA Title 43. As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Century Farms Act" for the purpose of recognizing the historical significance of family farms that have been in continuous operation in this state for over 100 years and to highlight their contribution to agriculture in and the economy of this state.
32. *SB0883 by Reeves. (HB1137 by Boyd.)
Sewage - Requires TDEC, or a contract county, to review a permit application for a subsurface sewage disposal system within 10 business days of receipt and either approve, reject with a deficiency report, or request additional information from the applicant.
Forces health regulators, without resources, to review and respond to subsurface sewage permit applications within 10 business days
33. SB0880 by Reeves. (*HB0896 by Todd.)
Administrative Procedure (UAPA) - Prohibits an agency from adopting a rule establishing numeric criteria or limitations applicable to a contaminant, pollutant, hazardous substance, solid waste, or hazardous waste related to drinking water, water pollution control, hazardous substances, contaminated site remediation, air quality, or solid or hazardous waste handling, unless the information relied on to support the rule is based upon the best available science which establishes a direct link to manifest bodily harm in humans.
Watch. US Chamber backed bill. Would block rules against manufacturers that disperse PFAs, ‘forever chemicals’ into the environment
11:30 a.m. - Senate Regular Calendar
1. SJR 0001 *Haile, Lowe, Walley, Bailey, Johnson, Briggs, White, Hensley, Pody, Stevens, Massey, Roberts, Rose
Constitutional Amendments- Proposes additional language in Article II, Section 28 to prohibit the general assembly from levying, authorizing, or otherwise permitting a state tax on property.
Watch. 3nd reading. Vote takes place after third reading. This could undermine Tennessee’s franchise tax, which includes a tax on the net worth of a company – including property.
2. SB0275 by Taylor. (*HB0306 by Gillespie.)
County Government - Amends TCA Title 5. As introduced, requires the offices of sheriff, register, county clerk, assessor of property, and trustee in a county that has adopted a charter form of government to independently develop the budget for such office and submit the budget directly to the county legislative body; authorizes such offices to approve transfers between line items within the total amount of each category of personnel and operational maintenance; prohibits the county legislative body from implementing any kind of personnel restriction or operational maintenance restrictions on these offices.
Watch. Is this micromanaging local governments? Sheriff Bonner bill.
3. SB0503 by Rose. (*HB0327 by Bulso.)
Holidays and Days of Special Observance - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 4. As introduced, designates the month of June as "Celebration of Life" month, the month of July as "Celebration of Liberty" month, and the month of August as "Celebration of the Pursuit of Happiness" month in Tennessee.
Watch. A month to celebrate the Dobbs decision. No thanks.
4. *SB0644 by Crowe. (HB0865 by Hicks T.)
Nurses, Nursing - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 63. As introduced, requires the board of nursing to change certain minimum curricula standards for schools of nursing related to program course access and enrollment; requires the board of nursing to permit practical nursing program students to sit for the national council licensure exam upon completion of the program, as long as the exam's minimum age requirements are met.
5. SB0652 by Crowe. (*HB0393 by Butler.)
Correction, Dept. of - Amends TCA Title 4. As introduced, requires the department to pay from existing budgeted funds a monthly amount to a correctional officer for the medical care of a retired canine that served the department if the canine is given to the care and custody of the officer.
6. *SB0660 by Hensley. (HB0737 by Vital.)
Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4 and Section 55-6-101. As introduced, authorizes a county clerk, during a period when the clerk's office is closed due to an emergency, to request the assistance of a county clerk in a contiguous county for purposes of registering motor vehicles and related transactions.
7. SB0713 by Taylor. (*HB0665 by Cepicky.)
Education - With amendment, requires high schools to provide official military recruiting representatives access to the high schools once a month during student lunch periods and once every other month (when school is in session) to provide more information to interested students.
8. *SB1336 by Taylor. (HB1383 by Harris.)
Local Education Agencies - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49. As introduced, requires elections for county boards of education to be held at the same time and on the same election cycle as elections for members of the local legislative body for the county; requires members of county boards of education to have the same staggered terms as members of the local legislative body for the county; requires members of a county board of education to have the same term limits as members of the local legislative body for the county.
Watch. State interference with local school board elections.
9. *HJR0175 by Cochran.
General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Urges Tennessee universities to adopt principles of institutional neutrality, free expression and civil discourse, and the preservation of a safe and respectful campus.
Watch. Be truthful, not neutral.
1 p.m. Health & Welfare
**Final Calendar**
1. SB 1071 *Johnson (HB 0046 by *McCalmon, Barrett, Alexander, Littleton, Keisling)
Children's Services, Dept. of- As introduced, requires that a reimbursement payment to a child advocacy center be completed within 30 days of receipt of a request for reimbursement; requires payment of a 10 percent late payment fee for failing to make a timely reimbursement to a child advocacy center; requires the department to submit to the general assembly an annual report on the timeliness of reimbursement payments to child advocacy centers. - Amends TCA Title 9 and Title 37.
2. SB 1282 *Johnson (HB 1310 by *Lamberth, Cochran, Helton-Haynes)
Food and Food Products- As introduced, deletes present laws pertaining to rented premises unfit for habitation and quick fast food establishment delivery vehicles; removes the statutorily set permit fees to operate food service establishments and requires such permit fees to be set by rule; makes other revisions to present laws pertaining to food service and safety. - Amends TCA Section 53-8-103; Title 68, Chapter 110; Title 68, Chapter 111; Title 68, Chapter 14 and Title 68, Chapter 15.
6. SB 0474 *Bowling (HB 0387 by *Butler, McCalmon, Powers)
Medical Occupations- As introduced, prohibits a healthcare provider from inquiring as to a patient's ownership, possession of, or access to firearm ammunition or firearm accessories; subjects the healthcare provider to disciplinary action and a fine of $1,000 if the healthcare provider makes such inquires. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.
Another intrusion on medical professionals
7. SB 0332 *Crowe (HB 0203 by *Terry)
Health Care- With amendment, requires the Board of Nursing to develop a survey to collect information from nurse practitioners who have been issued a certificate of fitness concerning their specialty and information on their collaborating physicians and to send the survey to each nurse practitioner who has been issued a certificate of fitness. Establishes that the Board must require each nurse practitioner to complete the survey prior to, and as a precondition of, renewal of the nurse practitioner's licensure registration.
Feels heavy handed to compel participation in the survey
8. SB 1146 *Crowe, Hatcher, Bowling (HB 1349 by *Littleton)
Drugs, Prescription- As introduced, requires the medical examiner's office to ascertain and document current drug use, including psychotropic drugs, by a deceased individual who committed a mass shooting; directs the University of Tennessee's health science center to study drug interactions between the psychotropic drugs and any other drugs present in the deceased individual's system; requires the department of health to disclose the psychotropic drug use of the individual to the public upon request. - Amends TCA Title 38; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.
9. SB 0333 *Crowe (HB 0644 by *Carringer)
Nurses, Nursing- As introduced, requires all hospitals licensed by the health facilities commission or by the department of mental health and substance abuse services to report annually to the department of health, on a form promulgated by the department, the number of advanced practice registered nurses who are working in the hospital for each month. - Amends TCA Title 29; Title 33; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.
Caption
14. SB 1388 *Watson (HB 1066 by *Vaughan)
Human Services, Dept. of- As introduced, requires the department to assign a new vending facility manager to a location if the department receives three complaints within a six-month period. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 4.
16. SB 0185 *Jackson, Crowe, Hensley, Walley, Reeves, Haile, Stevens, Yager (HB 0173 by *Martin B, Lamberth, Hicks G, Haston, Hurt)
TennCare- As introduced, establishes TennCare minimum and maximum reimbursement rate levels for rural hospitals and requires that the reimbursement rate is based on the rural hospital's current federal fiscal year. - Amends TCA Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, Chapter 5.
18. SB 0152 *Pody (HB 0413 by *Lynn)
Health Care- As introduced, authorizes a patient with a severe chronic disease or terminal illness to access, and a physician to recommend, investigational stem cell treatment; requires the commissioner of health to promulgate rules to, among other things, list the medical conditions that constitute a qualifying severe chronic disease or terminal illness. - Amends TCA Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.
19. SB 1153 *Crowe (HB 1205 by *Kumar)
Physicians and Surgeons- As introduced, prohibits physicians from prescribing, administering, or dispensing medication for, or otherwise treating, themselves or their immediate family except for specified or emergency situations; prohibits physicians from treating themselves with or prescribing to family members a scheduled drug. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.
20. SB 0461 *Briggs (HB 0758 by *Vital, Lynn)
Medical Occupations- As introduced, establishes the scope of practice for anesthesiologist assistants, subject to regulatory oversight by the board of medical examiners as part of such practice. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 63 and Title 68.
Off notice. Creates a new medical professional. CRNAs are opposed
21. SB 1054 *Roberts (HB 1201 by *Kumar)
Medical Occupations- As introduced, limits a foreign training license of limited duration to an internationally licensed physician who meets certain listed criteria. - Amends TCA Title 63.
22. SB 1053 *Roberts (HB 1158 by *Lynn, Hawk)
TennCare- As introduced, requires the director to take such actions as the director deems necessary to enable the bureau to make available to an enrollee in Part A of the Katie Beckett program the option to use the wraparound home- and community-based services funds allotted to the enrollee by means of a health reimbursement arrangement, including seeking a waiver amendment or new amendment. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.
23. SB 0557 *Reeves (HB 0728 by *Hicks G)
TennCare- As introduced, extends the nursing home annual assessment fee to June 30, 2026. - Amends TCA Title 71, Chapter 5.
24. SB 0882 *Reeves (HB 1141 by *Boyd)
Health Care- As introduced, adds that the governor's appointee for the health facilities commission who is a representative of the assisted-care living facility industry may be appointed from lists of qualified persons submitted by interested groups, including the Tennessee Center for Assisted Living. - Amends TCA Title 68.
25. SB 1355 *Akbari (HB 1396 by *Pearson)
Human Services, Dept. of- As introduced, enacts the "Guaranteed Basic Income Act" or the "Protection Against Automation Act," which requires the department to develop and implement a program in which eligible residents are awarded an annual guaranteed basic income grant beginning in 2026. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9; Title 67, Chapter 4 and Title 71.
26. SB 0484 *Bowling (HB 0130 by *Reneau)
Food and Food Products- As introduced, authorizes the sale of homemade food items that contain dairy, meat, or poultry to the extent permitted by federal law. - Amends TCA Title 53 and Title 68, Chapter 14, Part 7.
29. SB 0764 *Bailey (HB 0979 by *Williams, White)
Health Care- Requires the Board of Medical Examiners (BME) to review and determine the qualifications and fitness of all persons applying for a license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant. Requires the BME to adopt rules governing the licensure and practice of anesthesiologist assistants. Prohibits a person from practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant or using the title or representing that the person is a certified anesthesiologist assistant or anesthesiologist assistant without having a license granted by the BME. Establishes that a violation of such restriction is Class B misdemeanor.
Watch. CRNAs oppose. Anesthesiologists want the option to hire lower-paid, less-trained “anesthesiologist assistants” that do not have a scope of practice currently under TN law.
30. SB 0647 *Crowe (HB 1280 by *Hill)
Public Funds and Financing- As introduced, creates the medical expense relief fund to assist the next of kin and the estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death with paying the decedent's medical debt and expenses; requires the department of human services to administer the fund and the awarding of grants. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 9 and Title 71.
32. SB 0334 *Crowe (HB 0372 by *Hulsey, Hawk, Miller, Behn)
TennCare- As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Medicaid Modernization and Access Act of 2025," which aligns TennCare's current Medicaid reimbursement rates for obstetrics/gynecology, primary care, outpatient mental health, and substance use disorder treatment with the Medicare fee schedule or average commercial rates, whichever is higher. - Amends TCA Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
Everyone opposes
33. SB 1369 *Watson, Roberts, Stevens (HB 0819 by *Garrett, Russell, Hawk, Kumar, Lamberth, Sparks, Littleton, Faison, Hicks T, Boyd, Helton-Haynes, Alexander, Maberry, Reedy, Lafferty, Hill, Travis, Barrett, Hulsey)
Health Care- As introduced, removes acute care hospitals from the requirement of obtaining a certificate of need beginning July 1, 2028. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 33; Title 68; Title 71 and Chapter 985 of the Public Acts of 2024
35. SB 1154 *Crowe (HB 1236 by *Zachary, Martin B, Powers, Capley, McCalmon, Davis, Burkhart, Sparks, Reeves, Sherrell, Butler, Cepicky, Hawk, Cochran, Howell)
Human Resources, Department of- As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Health SNAP Act," which requires the department to submit a request for a waiver from the United States department of agriculture's food and nutrition service to seek authorization to prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for the purchase of candy and soft drinks. - Amends TCA Title 71.
36. SB 1156 *Kyle (HB 1099 by *Towns)
Food and Food Products- As introduced, prohibits the sale of food containing nanotechnology created by humans that is capable of collecting and transmitting data unless the food is labeled as containing nanotechnology. - Amends TCA Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53.
37. SB 1381 *Watson (HB 0783 by *Martin G)
Housing- As introduced, authorizes local governments to regulate sober living homes for recovery from alcohol, drug, and substance abuse to the extent such regulation complies with the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, including prescribing a distance requirement for such homes from primary schools, preschools, and daycares, regulating the location and operation of such homes, and requiring that prospective residents receive a clinical referral for placement in a sober living home. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 33.
39. SB 0911 *Haile, Reeves (HB 0996 by *Martin B)
Psychologists- As introduced, creates prescribing authority for certain psychologists if certain conditions and prerequisites are met. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68
40. SB 1365 *Watson (HB 1091 by *Haston, Sexton)
Children- As introduced, reduces the time in which the department of children's services has to determine whether a temporary childcare licensee has complied with all regulations to receive a permanent childcare license from 90 days from the date the temporary license was issued to 80 days.
Caption. TQEE bill. Is this good? Moves child care under the Dept of Education…
41. SB 0852 *Haile (HB 1206 by *Kumar)
Physicians and Surgeons- As introduced, increases from 10 to 30 business days, the period of time that must be included in a non-compete agreement between an employing entity and a physician regarding the time after which, if no agreement on the fair market value of the practice can be determined when an attempt to repurchase the practice is made, the physician may remove any restrictions on the physician’s ability to practice by tendering the amount that was paid to the physician for the sale of the practice. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.
Caption.
3 p.m. Education
1. SB 0134 *Johnson (HB 0087 by *Slater)
Education, Dept. of- Enacts The Learning Pod Protection Act. Authorizes parents to voluntarily participate or associate with learning pods to advance their children's kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) education without being subject to specified restrictions or regulations. Prohibits the state, local governments, and local education agencies (LEAs) from regulating or controlling a learning pod. Establishes that a child who participates in a learning pod satisfies the compulsory school attendance requirements if the child meets certain enrollment requirements.
2. SB 0695 *Johnson (HB 0505 by *Gant)
Education- As amended, Senate Bill 695 makes the school safety alert grant pilot program a regular program, creates a separate fund known as the school safety alert fund, and requires all funds remaining in the pilot program account to be transferred into the school safety alert fund. Subject to appropriations, the DOE must provide grants every fiscal year to LEAs, public charter schools, private schools, and church-related schools for the purchase of mobile panic alert systems.
4. SB 1273 *Johnson (HB 1307 by *Lamberth, Cochran, Moody)
Education, Dept. of- As amended, Senate Bill 1273 will sunset the Achievement School District (ASD). In its place, this bill establishes a tiered intervention system for schools identified as priority schools. The system gives LEAs three options for existing ASD schools with progressing interventions from the first to the third tier (most intensive).
Ending the failed state ASD
5. SB 0753 *Yager (HB 0006 by *Hale)
Local Education Agencies- As introduced, authorizes LEAs to enroll LEAs' employees' children into the voluntary pre-kindergarten program if space is available after enrollment of at-risk children; authorizes LEAs to charge the employee tuition and fees for such enrollment. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.
6. SB 1387 *Watson, Stevens, Gardenhire, Hatcher (HB 0645 by *Garrett, Butler, Davis, Hurt, Capley, Martin B, Bulso, Stevens, Raper, Moon, Grills, Shaw, Marsh, Hill, Barrett, Hakeem, Hicks T, Glynn, Eldridge, Lafferty, McCalmon, Freeman, Crawford, Carringer, Hale, Harris)
Scholarships and Financial Aid- As introduced, adds Western Governors University as a postsecondary institution at which Tennessee resident students may be enrolled for purposes of receiving a Senator Ben Atchley opportunity grant. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 8.
8. SB 1359 *Watson (HB 1344 by *Lamberth, Williams)
Education, Higher- With amendment, allows institutions to request their unspent capital outlay funds (from Public Chapter 1130(2022))be redirected to other purposes. Requests under this part would be submitted to the comptroller’s office who would approve or deny the request, set the parameters for an approved request, and disburse funds as approved. Lastly, the comptroller would be required to submit quarterly reports to the speakers of both houses and select committees relative to institutions that have requested redirection of funds.
Caption on capital funding for colleges…
9. SB 1417 *Kyle (HB 1385 by *Harris)
Education- As introduced, requires a school support organization and a group or organization that collects and raises money, materials, property, or securities while representing itself to be a school support organization to annually provide a detailed report of the organization's receipts and expenditures while representing itself to be a school support organization to the department of education by July 1 each year, unless the school support organization is a booster club, parent teacher association, parent teacher organization, or parent teacher support association; requires the department to publish the reports on the department's website for at least three years from the date by which the report was submitted. - Amends TCA Title 49.
12. SB 1130 *Yarbro, Campbell (HB 1051 by *McKenzie)
Education- As introduced, enacts the "Freedom to Read Act"; repeals the "Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022." - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1 and Title 49, Chapter 6.
13. SB 1338 *Yarbro (HB 1052 by *McKenzie)
Comptroller, State- As introduced, requires the office of research and education accountability in the office of the comptroller of the treasury to annually report information about the students participating in the education freedom scholarship program to the general assembly by October 30. - Amends Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and TCA Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14 and Title 49, Chapter 6.
14. SB 0426 *Reeves, Walley, Southerland, Crowe, Bailey, Lowe (HB 0009 by *Hale, Haston, Hurt, Sherrell, Capley, Doggett, Butler, Martin B, Darby, Barrett, Gant, Reedy, Keisling, Atchley, Grills)
Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA)- As introduced, revises the weighted allocations generated by a student for purposes of the TISA based on the number of student members of the LEA in which the student resides; establishes a $50 direct allocation for each student member of each LEA to assist each LEA with maintenance and infrastructure. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 3.
Bill adds infrastructure bonuses to school funding formula for the benefit of small districts while doing nothing for large school districts
15. SB 0434 *Reeves (HB 0067 by *Sparks, Boyd, Moody)
Education, Dept. of- As introduced, requires the department to compile an annual report on the number of students who complete the early graduation program to the education committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education by September 1 of each year. - Amends TCA Title 49.
18. SB 0376 *Rose (HB 0377 by *Zachary)
Education, Higher- As introduced, prohibits the exclusion of persons from participating in, being denied the benefits of, or being subject to discrimination by a four-year public or private institution of higher education in this state on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, and national origin; prohibits such institutions from using race, color, ethnicity, or national origin in determining whether a prospective student qualifies for admission into the institution, or receives scholarships or financial aid; creates a private cause of action against an institution and its officers, employees, and agents for such unlawful practices. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7.
Ban on affirmative action – again
19. SB 1252 *Rose (HB 1262 by *Reneau, Cepicky, Barrett, Reedy, Bulso, Jones R, Reeves, Hurt, Warner, Helton-Haynes, Vital, Martin G, Atchley, Fritts, Todd, Stinnett)
Education- As introduced, makes various changes to the categories of individuals who are not required to use a preferred pronoun, and for whom a preferred pronoun can be disregarded, if the pronoun is inconsistent with the person's biological sex; makes various changes to the civil liability and adverse action protections as it relates to the use of, or the refusal to use, a pronoun or preferred pronoun. - Amends TCA Title 49.
Protects students from discipline when they choose to disrespect trans school teachers and staff
20. SB 0937 *Rose (HB 1270 by *Cochran, Hurt, Cepicky)
Education- As introduced, specifies that certain individuals are not required to use another's preferred name or pronoun, if the preferred name or pronoun is not consistent with the individual's legal name or sex; insulates certain individuals from civil liability for using, or refusing to use, certain names or pronouns in reference to another; allows a civil action to be filed against certain employers and public schools that implement certain preferred pronoun policies or that allow certain names or pronouns to be used in reference to an unemancipated minor without first obtaining parental consent.
21. SB 1209 *Rose (HB 1188 by *Grills)
Education- As introduced, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status against a student or an employee in a public institution of education; requires public institutions of education to treat harassment or discrimination against students or employees, or resulting from institutional policies or programs on their campuses, motivated by or including antisemitic intent in an identical manner to discrimination motivated by race; requires Title VI coordinators to be designated to monitor antisemitic discrimination and harassment at K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. - Amends TCA Title 49.
Specifically requires incidents of anti semitic harassment be treated as all other discrimination. Perhaps, like when a student calls their teacher by the wrong pronouns.
22. SB 0270 *Oliver, Campbell (HB 0218 by *Behn)
Education- As introduced, enacts the "Universal Pre-K Funding Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 51; Title 49 and Title 67.
24. SB 1409 *Hensley (HB 1121 by *Hale, Sherrell)
Lottery, Scholarships and Programs- As introduced, expands eligibility for a dual enrollment grant to include students who are sophomores in high school and admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4.
25. SB 1410 *Hensley (HB 1253 by *Alexander)
Teachers, Principals and School Personnel- As introduced, increases from 20 to 30, the maximum number of consecutive days a substitute teacher may substitute for a regular teacher on leave without having to possess a teaching license; requires the six weeks of paid parental leave for eligible employees to be taken consecutively, except in extenuating circumstances, as determined and approved by the director of schools or the director of the public charter school, as applicable. - Amends TCA Section 8-50-814; Title 49, Chapter 6 and Title 49, Chapter 3, Part 3.
26. SB 1003 *Hensley (HB 1002 by *Haston)
Local Education Agencies- As introduced, requires the state board of education to approve at least one universal screener for pre-kindergarten students as an alternative growth model to generate individual growth scores for pre-kindergarten teachers; requires, instead of authorizes, LEAs and public charter schools that provide a voluntary pre-kindergarten program to allow pre-kindergarten teachers to use the results of a state-board-approved universal screener for pre-kindergarten students as an alternative growth model for annual evaluation purposes. - Amends TCA Title 49.
27. SB 0161 *Hensley (HB 1199 by *Kumar, Maberry, Hemmer, Parkinson, Glynn, Haston)
Local Education Agencies- As introduced, requires the board of education for an LEA that operates at least one high school to adopt a policy for the selection of, and to select for the 2025-2026 school year and for each subsequent school year, at least one junior or senior student to serve as a nonvoting student member on the board for at least one one-year term that coincides with the school year for which the student is selected. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2.
28. SB 0614 *Hensley (HB 0348 by *Hurt)
Education- As introduced, requires, if a local government adopts a budget that includes the required maintenance of effort for education funding but fails to appropriate or allocate the full amount budgeted to the LEA, the local government, in the following fiscal year, to appropriate and allocate the unfunded portion to the LEA; specifies that the maintenance of local funding effort required for a fiscal year following a fiscal year in which the local government failed to appropriate or allocate the full amount budgeted to the LEA must be determined based on the amount budgeted to the LEA for the previous fiscal year instead of the amount actually appropriated or allocated to the LEA by the local government. - Amends TCA Section 49-3-314.
Need an explanation
29. SB 0989 *Hensley (HB 1056 by *Doggett)
Education- With amendment, subject to appropriations to offset the revenue loss, will expand the tuition discount for children of public school teachers to children of all public school employees.
31. SB 0259 *Pody (HB 0853 by *Reneau)
Children- As introduced, clarifies that a child's parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian may access and review all health and medical records of the child, including those records related to treatments available to unemancipated minors without parental consent; allows an employee of a local education agency to provide bandages, gauze, or ice packs for the treatment of minor cuts, scrapes, bumps, and bruises. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 49; Title 63 and Title 68.
32. SB 0415 *Lowe, Bailey, Southerland (HB 0675 by *Cochran, Sexton, Lamberth, Faison, Haston, Cepicky, Boyd, McCalmon)
Education- As amended, Senate Bill 415 will create an advisory committee composed of Senate members, House members, representatives of the board of education and department of education. The board members must be appointed by July 1, 2025 and convene its first meeting by August 1, 2025. The committee is tasked with studying teacher and principal evaluation processes, state and locally mandated assessments, a potential shift in required instructional hours rather than days, substitution of CTE courses for courses required for graduation, and educational, licensure, and training requirements for teachers, as well as, compensation structure. The committee is required to submit a report to the speakers of both houses, and the appropriate education committees by December 31, 2025. The report must be prepared by the DOE.
33. SB 0016 *Lowe, Hensley, Watson (HB 0025 by *Cepicky, Faison, Stevens)
Local Education Agencies- As introduced, prohibits a public school from using public funds to have a membership with an association that regulates interscholastic athletics and prohibits a student from participating in an interscholastic athletic competition due to the student transferring no more than once from a school at which the student previously participated in an interscholastic athletic competition regulated by the association. - Amends TCA Title 49.
34. SB 1027 *Lowe (HB 1016 by *Littleton)
Education, Dept. of- As introduced, establishes October 15 of each year as the date by which the department must submit an early grades reading report; updates the committees for which the department must submit the early grades reading report to be the education committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education.
Ban on school district lobbying… Prohibits an LEA or public school from using public funds to join, become members of, or maintain membership in any association or organization that uses public funds, including dues or fines received from LEAs or public schools that are members of the association or organization, to pay for lobbying expenditures.
35. SB 1180 *Akbari (HB 1109 by *Salinas)
School Vouchers- As introduced, requires private schools that enroll recipients of an education freedom scholarship, students participating in the individualized education account program, or students participating in the education savings account program to conduct background checks prior to employing a teacher or person who will have direct contact with school children or access to school grounds when children are present.
36. SB 1419 *Akbari (HB 1386 by *Harris)
Education, Higher- As introduced, requires institutions of higher education to conduct various programs for intercollegiate athletes covering name, image, and likeness; authorizes institutions of higher education to collect talent fees; makes various other changes to intercollegiate athletes' name, image, and likeness authorizations and requirements.
38. SB 0811 *Powers (HB 0825 by *Maberry, Jones R)
Education, Curriculum- As introduced, enacts the "Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act," which requires the department of education to develop curricula for the instruction of social media and internet safety for students in grades 6-12 who are enrolled in a school in a local education agency (LEA) or public charter school; requires such LEAs and public charter schools to instruct such students using the curricula developed by the department. - Amends TCA Title 49.
39. SB 1340 *Powers (HB 1348 by *Haston, Hemmer)
Education, Higher- As introduced, requires the commission to review and update the outcomes-based funding formula model at least once every five years to provide incentives for institutions that offer programs leading to job placement in high-demand fields in this state. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 49 and Title 62.
Caption?
41. SB 0602 *Bailey (HB 1125 by *Farmer)
Education- As amended, this bill requires the DOE to develop guidelines and criteria used to determine how long a student must be present in a teacher's classroom before the teacher is held accountable for a student's academic record. However, if the student in question takes a TCAP test, they must have been in the teacher's classroom for at least 150 days of instruction (or 75 if on a block schedule) before the student's score would count towards the teacher's evaluation. Additionally, this amendment specifies that an LEA or pubic charter school may compensate the estate of a teacher employed by an LEA or charter school at the time of their death for the teacher's unused, accrued annual and sick leave.
42. SB 0636 *Walley (HB 0091 by *Haston, Doggett, Martin G, Martin B, Boyd, Cochran, Lamberth, Cepicky, Grills, Faison, Sexton, Maberry, Hill, Carringer, Rudder)
Education, Dept. of- As introduced, requires the department to submit a request to the United States department of education to amend this state's Every Student Succeeds Act plan to remove all end-of-course assessment requirements for students in grades nine through 12 and to allow the ACT, SAT, or another postsecondary readiness assessment approved by the commissioner to be annually administered to students in such grades and for student performance on such assessments to be used for student, school, and district accountability purposes. - Amends TCA Title 49.
43. SB 0928 *Walley (HB 1001 by *Haston, Lamberth, Cochran)
Education- As introduced, requires the state board of education to authorize a student who is working toward completing a career and technical education elective focus to substitute up to four career and technical education course credits for the required chemistry course credit, computer science course credit, world language course credit, and Algebra II course credit necessary to earn a full diploma upon graduation from high school. - Amends TCA Title 49.
44. SB 0593 *Walley (HB 0224 by *Haston, Doggett, Martin B)
Local Education Agencies- As introduced, enacts the "School District Capital Improvements Investment Trust Act." - Amends TCA Title 49.
45. SB0714 by Taylor. (*HB0662 by White.)
Education - Memphis schools takeover bill
Watch. More Republican overreach into local government. Republicans are trying to create a new state-run school district while other Republicans are trying to shut one down (ASD)
46. SB 0386 *Taylor (HB 0522 by *Reedy, Gillespie, White)
Education- As introduced, enacts the "Early Behavioral Intervention and Reporting Act"; clarifies that public charter schools are required to have a threat assessment team in the same manner as required of local education agencies. - Amends TCA Title 16; Title 37 and Title 49.
47. SB 1332 *Harshbarger (HB 1281 by *Hill)
Education- As introduced, requires that persons who hold positions with independent entities that teach released time courses and who have proximity to students undergo a criminal history records check conducted by the TBI; requires LEAs to notify students' parents whether results indicate that the subject has been convicted of certain criminal offenses for which a licensed educator's license is subject to revocation with a hearing. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2; Title 49, Chapter 5 and Title 49, Chapter 6.
48. SB 0295 *Crowe (HB 0299 by *Reedy)
Education, Higher- As introduced, extends to the dependent children and spouses of veterans who sustained a permanent and total service-connected disability during a qualifying period of armed conflict the same waiver of all tuition and fees at public institutions of higher education being provided to the dependent children and spouses of veterans who were killed, died due to injuries received, or reported as prisoners of war or missing in action during a qualifying period of armed conflict. - Amends TCA Title 49.
49. SB 1168 *Akbari, Oliver (HB 0778 by *McKenzie)
Teachers, Principals and School Personnel- With amendment, require OREA to conduct a study and provide recommendations to the appropriate General Assembly Education committees concerning the implementation of incentive programs for educators with 15 or more years of experience. The study must be complete and a report submitted by no later than December 31, 2025.
50. SB 1327 *Akbari (HB 1276 by *Camper)
Education- With amendment, enacts the “Tennessee Equal Opportunities for Girls in Sports Act.” This act, subject to funding, will ensure girls’ sports programs in middle and high schools receive equivalent funding to boys’ sports programs. Additionally, this legislation will establish a complaint process whereby parents may file a complaint with the Department of Education (DOE) if their student has not been provided equal athletic opportunities (whether stemming from funding or discrimination). If the claim is substantiated, then the department, subject to funding, will allocate resources to the LEA to resolve the inequities. Lastly, this legislation will require LEAs to annually report to the DOE regarding student participation rates in athletic programs, funding for boys’ and girls’ programs, and resource needs for the girls’ sports programs.
51. SB 1423 *Akbari (HB 1377 by *Harris, Hawk)
Education- As introduced, requires that a student's report card include a statement of the student's current reading grade level. - Amends TCA Title 49.
52. SB 1024 *Reeves (HB 1036 by *Baum, Sparks)
Education- With amendment, Senate Bill 1024 will grant university governing boards the discretion to call private meetings, not subject to open meetings and streaming requirements, to discuss senior administration, personnel positions, and contracts.
53. SR 0050 *Massey
Naming and Designating- Athletic Training Month, March 2025 -