Briefly...
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Child trafficking prevention: The House on Monday passed House Bill 1527, sponsored by State Rep. Jake McCalmon, R-Franklin, to require school districts to provide age- and developmentally-appropriate child trafficking prevention and awareness education as part of health education from kindergarten through 12th grade. House Bill 1527 allows qualified health care professionals or social workers to assist with instruction. The companion version of the proposal is still advancing through the Senate.
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Children's Services investigations: House Bill 1734, sponsored by State Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington, requires the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services to record testimonies from minors by video or audio during an investigation involving child abuse, dependency or neglect. The proposed legislation would limit the significant emotional damage and psychological trauma children often endure when required to repeat traumatic events during an investigation. House Bill 1734 will be heard for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on March 18.
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Protecting 2A rights for renters: The General Assembly approved legislation this week ensuring landlords cannot ban Tennesseans from legally possessing firearms or ammunition in their rental homes. House Bill 469, sponsored by State Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, protects a tenant's right to legally carry and store a firearm inside a rental unit, in a vehicle parked at the residence and while directly entering or exiting those locations through hallways, parking lots or other common areas. Landlords may require firearms to be concealed, holstered or stored in a carrying container when moving through shared spaces. If a landlord violates these protections, a tenant may pursue civil action. The bill also protects landlords from civil liability solely for complying with the law. The legislation does not apply to health care facilities, mental health facilities, certain senior living centers or schools. The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
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AI deepfakes: The General Assembly this week passed a proposal to promote transparency and accountability in political campaign advertisements. The Transparency for Deepfakes in Political Advertising Act, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, requires a disclosure if an audio or video ad falsely depicts a candidate's speech or actions, commonly referred to as a deepfake. Failure to provide a disclaimer could result in a Class C misdemeanor. Broadcasters, hosts, third-party producers and carriers of the communication could not be held liable unless they are responsible for creating the content. House Bill 1513 now heads to Gov. Bill Lee's desk to be signed into law.
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Employment protections: House Bill 562, sponsored by State Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston, would prohibit state and local officials from shutting down lawful businesses or occupations by labeling them “non-essential” during a state of emergency. This legislation stems from shutdowns across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal would allow for the removal of local officials who violate the law, and those officials would be ineligible to run for the same office for five years. If the governor were to violate the law, a person harmed by the order could sue for damages and legal costs. House Bill 562 is expected to be heard in the House chamber in the coming weeks.
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Energy freedom: Lawmakers on Thursday passed the Tennessee Energy Freedom Act, sponsored by State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County. The proposal ensures that Tennesseans have the right to engage in and invest in companies involved in certain activities related to coal, oil and natural gas. House Bill 2070 prohibits government or private parties from bringing an action to impose liability for covered emissions from covered activities, including exploration, production, transportation, sale, manufacture, refinement, combustion or other use of a specified energy source. The companion version of the legislation is still advancing through the Senate.
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Hunter education: Students across Tennessee could soon receive hunter education courses as part of physical education, health or safety instruction. House Bill 2588, sponsored by State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, allows public schools to offer hunting courses for students in grades 5 through 12. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency would approve the curriculum to ensure consistency with established hunter safety standards. The bill passed unanimously in the House and Senate chambers and now heads to Gov. Bill Lee's desk for his signature.
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Protecting public funds: The House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to prevent the use of public funds to subsidize gender transition procedures. House Bill 2498, sponsored by State Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown, will prohibit TennCare from providing coverage or reimbursement for procedures that would enable a person to identify as the opposite sex or treat purported discomfort based on a person's biological sex. The proposal does not apply to congenital defects, precocious puberty, disease or physical injury. The companion version of House Bill 2498 is still moving through the Senate.
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College professor tenure: The House this week passed House Bill 2194, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, to require each board of regents of public institutions of higher education in Tennessee to adopt and implement new policies to ensure that the rewarding, denial or revocation of tenure is not used as a form of discipline. Disciplinary actions could not alter or suspend a faculty member's tenure status, except as provided for by institutional policy after due process, according to the bill. It also ensures uniform disciplinary procedures for tenured and non-tenured faculty. Chancellors, the board of regents, and chief executive officers would have sole discretion over suspension and termination. The companion version of House Bill 2194 is still advancing through the Senate.
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State veterans cemeteries: One lawmaker has proposed legislation to permit members of the U.S. National Guard and Reserve forces who have been honorably discharged to be buried at state veteran cemeteries. House Bill 1635, sponsored by State Rep. Jerome Moon, R-Maryville, requires a member of the armed forces to have completed all service obligations and ensures the Volunteer State honors all veterans who have served our nation honorably. House Bill 1635 will be considered by the State and Local Committee on March 18.
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Hunting for Heroes Act: House Bill 2550, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, creates the “Tennessee National Guard Sportsman” license. The proposed law would entitle a member of the Tennessee National Guard in good standing to qualify for a no-cost sportsman license in the same manner as a resident annual sportsman license. The annual sportsman license is an all-inclusive license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any state supplemental licenses or non-quota permits, and allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. The bill will be heard in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on March 17.
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Victims of Communism Day: The House of Representatives this week approved legislation requiring every public and charter school in Tennessee to recognize Victims of Communism Day on November 7 each year. House Bill 2089, sponsored by State Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro, requires at least 45 minutes of instruction for students enrolled in world history or geography courses on the hardships faced by victims of communist regimes. If students are not in class on November 7, the instruction must be provided the next time the class meets. The legislation would take effect in the 2026-27 school year. The companion version of House Bill 2089 is still advancing through the Senate.
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Civics education: The General Assembly on Monday passed legislation directing public and charter schools to incorporate a civics instructional video outlining our nation’s founding principles. House Bill 2395, sponsored by State Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, requires students in grades 6-12 to be shown the video once in both middle and high school. The video would explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and the religious affiliation and moral beliefs of our nation’s founding fathers. It must be historically accurate and free from political stances. House Bill 2395 mandates that the civics instructional video be recommended by the Tennessee Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission and approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education. The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature. It will take effect in the 2027-28 school year.
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Protecting religious freedom: House Bill 2264, sponsored by State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, establishes a Class A misdemeanor offense for deliberately interfering with lawful religious services, including trespassing, disruptive demonstrations, or other intentional acts that disturb or obstruct the order and solemnity of a religious gathering. House Bill 2264 now heads to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
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Expanding employee bullying policies: The Education Committee this week advanced legislation to hold school employees, rather than only teachers, accountable for bullying students. House Bill 1733, sponsored by State Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington, permits school districts to dismiss or suspend a school employee who has engaged in an act of harassing, intimidating, bullying or cyberbullying a student. The bill requires school districts to include descriptions of acceptable and prohibited behavior in employee policies. House Bill 1733 is expected to be considered by the Judiciary Committee on March 18.
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Tennessee's former first lady: Martha Sundquist, wife of former Governor Don Sundquist, passed away on Wednesday, March 11, at the age of 88. The former First Lady served the Volunteer State from 1995 to 2003. Sundquist was known for her love of nature and was proud to have a Tennessee state forest in Cocke County named in her honor. Born in Joliet, Ill., she lived with her husband in several parts of the state, including Shelbyville, Memphis, Nashville and Townsend. In 1989, the former first lady was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to a 3-year term on the United Service Organizations (USO) Board of Governors. She will be laid to rest on Saturday, March 21.
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Expanding revenue streams for TWRA: House Bill 2138, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, seeks to ensure the financial stability of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). The TWRA relies primarily on hunting and fishing license revenues as a main source of funding. This legislation would add another funding source by directing 10% of the payments the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) makes to the state to TWRA. The bill has been placed behind the budget and is expected to be taken up for consideration by the Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee at a later date.
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Reducing judicial backlog: The Civil Justice Subcommittee this week advanced legislation to help courts manage growing caseloads and improve efficiency in the criminal justice system. House Bill 2251, sponsored by State Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, creates a pilot program allowing 10 counties with the highest criminal court caseload to establish criminal magistrate positions. If approved by the county commission, criminal court judges could appoint a magistrate beginning in 2027 to help handle arraignments, initial appearances, setting bonds, issuing warrants and conducting preliminary hearings. Magistrates would serve for four-year terms and be paid by the county. House Bill 2251 is expected to be heard in the Judiciary Committee on March 18.
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Advocates for human trafficking victims: The Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee advanced legislation to further support children who may be victims of human trafficking. House Bill 2527, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and co-sponsored by State Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, requires a representative from a nonprofit specializing in combating the commercial sexual exploitation of minors to be present before an initial investigation begins when a case involves suspected child human trafficking. The proposal also requires members of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) protection teams to complete 15 hours of annual training on severe child abuse and child sexual abuse. DCS must determine whether abuse allegations are substantiated and report findings to the state abuse registry within 90 days, or within 180 days for cases involving a child fatality, with one possible 180-day extension if needed. House Bill 2527 is expected to be heard in the Judiciary Committee on March 18.
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