Tennessee Legislation

The bill allows Putnam County and its cities to create rules for sober living homes, which help people recover from substance abuse. These regulations must follow federal laws that protect housing rights for individuals with disabilities. Essentially, it gives local governments more authority to manage these recovery facilities.

This bill, known as the 'FAIR Rx Act,' proposes changes to the laws in Tennessee that govern the ownership or control of pharmacies by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs). The aim is to ensure greater freedom, access, and integrity in the operation of registered pharmacies by potentially restricting or regulating the influence PBMs have over these pharmacies.

Tennessee SB1926 requires dental hygienists to work directly under a dentist's supervision when treating new patients. This includes tasks like taking X-rays, assessing dental health, cleaning teeth, and applying fluoride. The bill aims to ensure that dental hygienists have guidance from dentists during these important procedures.

The bill extends the existence of the Department of Children's Services in Tennessee until June 30, 2028. It also requires the department to provide a progress report to the government operations committee by the end of 2026, updating them on improvements based on a performance audit conducted in December 2025.

The bill expands the definition of adulteration to include adding harmful substances to food, drinks, or pharmaceuticals to make someone intoxicated without their knowledge. It classifies this act as a Class D felony. Additionally, it requires businesses that serve alcoholic beverages to have testing devices on hand to check for drugs in drinks.

The bill, known as the 'Grace Anne Sparks Coercive Suicide Prevention Law of 2026,' aims to amend Tennessee's criminal code to address issues related to coercive suicide. It seeks to enhance legal protections for individuals who may be pressured into harmful actions. The law emphasizes prevention and support for those in crisis.

This bill allows individuals who have started their clinical practice for teaching but haven't finished it to receive a temporary permit to teach. They can combine the time they spent in clinical practice before getting the permit with the time they teach under the permit to meet the required clinical practice hours. This aims to make it easier for aspiring teachers to gain experience while completing their training.

The bill, known as the 'Curbing Harmful AI Technology (CHAT) Act,' seeks to amend existing laws in Tennessee to address issues related to artificial intelligence. It aims to regulate and mitigate the potential harms that AI technologies may pose to individuals and society. The legislation focuses on ensuring that AI is used responsibly and ethically.

This bill ensures that pregnant women who come to hospital emergency departments in active labor or experiencing emergencies receive necessary medical screenings. It prevents hospitals from transferring these women until their medical condition is stable and requires transfers to be done only based on a doctor's recommendation. Violations of these rules could lead to penalties for the hospitals involved.

The bill requires that if someone commits vandalism at a house of worship, the court must impose a fine that is at least double the cost of any damage or cleaning needed. This aims to hold offenders accountable for harming places of worship and to help cover the costs incurred by these institutions. It amends existing laws to include this specific requirement.

This bill modifies the rules regarding judges carrying weapons during court proceedings in Tennessee. It clarifies the exemptions that judges have when it comes to the offense of carrying weapons while performing their judicial duties.

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The bill updates the existing law governing convention center authorities in Tennessee, renaming it to include agricultural exposition authorities. This change aims to broaden the scope of the law to better support agricultural events alongside traditional conventions. The updates are intended to enhance the state's ability to host a variety of events that can boost local economies.

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The bill expands the definition of 'consumable material' to include both natural and synthetic liquid nicotine solutions, which will affect how vapor products are taxed. It also mandates that the Alcoholic Beverage Commission enforce fines on retailers who sell vapor products to individuals under 21 years of age.

Summary pending...

Tennessee SB2453 allows counties that are near at least three struggling rural counties more time to keep sales tax revenue from commercial developments. The deadline for these counties to apply for this benefit has been extended to December 31, 2040, and the approval deadline for these districts has also been pushed back to June 30, 2041.

This bill allows real estate brokers and affiliate brokers in Tennessee to avoid extra training and licensing requirements when serving as designated agents for vacation lodging services. It also mandates that these vacation lodging services must be supervised by a principal broker. This change aims to streamline the process for real estate professionals involved in vacation rentals.

Tennessee HB2341 allows people to drink alcoholic beverages and beer at temporary special events in Davidson County. This law sets specific rules for how and where these drinks can be consumed during such events. It updates existing laws related to alcohol consumption in public spaces.

Tennessee HB2327 allows local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to let private providers, hired by parents of students with autism or developmental delays, access these students during school hours. This is to ensure that these students can receive additional services without disrupting their education. The bill includes provisions to ensure that these services do not interfere with the students' regular learning environment.

Summary pending...

This bill aims to extend the sales periods for fireworks around Independence Day and New Year, while also introducing new sales periods for Memorial Day and Labor Day starting in 2026. Additionally, it raises the fee for seasonal retailers to sell fireworks from $100 to $150. The state fire marshal will also have the authority to create rules to implement these changes.

The bill requires all fertility clinics in Tennessee to obtain a certificate from the Department of Health to provide assisted reproductive technology services. This aims to ensure that clinics meet specific health and safety standards. By regulating these clinics, the state seeks to protect patients seeking fertility treatments.