Legislative Bulletin - Apr 14, 2025

As amended, requires the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division (CIED) within the Department of Safety (DOS) to provide, by July 1, 2026, a report to the Chief Clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Legislative Librarian that includes an assessment of the illegal alien population residing in Tennessee, any criminal enterprises associated with that population, and an analysis of any threats posed by such. Requires the CIED to share the report with other law enforcement agencies in the state to ensure an integrated approach to addressing issues with illegal aliens and any unlawful activities in which they are engaged. As introduced, requires each law enforcement agency, except for the Tennessee bureau of investigation, to report monthly to the department of safety each interaction that the law enforcement agency had with illegal aliens over the previous month; requires that such report include the date of the interaction, the number of illegal aliens encountered, and a description of identification documents, if any, in their possession.

As introduced, requires a hotel operator to remit the hotel tax to the municipality when a person has maintained occupancy for 30 continuous days and to cease collecting the tax from the person for the remainder of their stay in the operator's hotel. 

As introduced, clarifies that certain definitions concerning housing facilities and developments with regard to industrial development corporations include affordable and workforce housing; authorizes a municipality or county to approve amendments to an economic impact plan when approving the plan.

As amended, defines "local governmental body” as: (1) The legislative body of an incorporated city or town, a metropolitan government, or a county; (2) A regional or municipal planning commission; (3) A board of zoning appeals; (4) A public utility board; (5) An industrial development corporation board of directors; (6) A housing authority; (7) A regional or municipal airport authority; (8) A county election commission; and (9) The budget committee of a legislative body of an incorporated city or town, a metropolitan government, or a county. As introduced, expands the requirement that state and local governing bodies make an agenda available to the public prior to regular public meetings of the body to include the governing bodies of certain nonprofit organizations, including nonprofit community organizations that receive federal funding, nonprofit organizations that receive community grant funds from this state or certain funding from local governments, nonprofit organizations created for the benefit of local governments, and nonprofit organizations that provide the metropolitan government of Nashville/Davidson County with certain utility services; requires, rather than permits, such governing bodies that maintain a website to post the agenda to the website.

As introduced, requires the attorney general and reporter, at the request of a member of the general assembly, to investigate an ordinance, regulation, order, or other official action adopted or taken by the chief executive officer or governing body of a local government or any written policy, written rule, or written regulation adopted by any agency, department, or other entity of the local government that the member alleges violates state law or the Constitution of Tennessee; creates penalties for violations. 

As introduced, authorizes utility terrain vehicles to operate on county roads and state highways throughout the state, subject to certain restrictions. 

As introduced, reduces from 1.125 percent to 0.75 percent the administrative fee percentage the department takes from the proceeds of the business tax, short-term rental unit occupancy tax, local tax surcharge, coal severance tax, and local option sales tax to assist in defraying the expenses of administration and collection, before remitting proceeds to the appropriate county, city, or town.

As introduced, enacts the "Dismantle DEI Act," which prohibits local governments and public institutions of higher education from basing hiring decisions on any metrics that consider an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability, or hiring a particular candidate in order to achieve any goals to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion in the workplace. 

As introduced, prohibits a person, political subdivision, or public official, in connection with a state emergency, from categorizing or proclaiming by order, rule, or regulation that a lawful occupation is non-essential, or otherwise proclaiming by order, rule, or regulation that a lawful occupation is prohibited from operating based on what the lawful occupation is; specifies that a person harmed by a violation of the prohibition may bring a civil action for actual damages or declaratory relief. 

As introduced, clarifies that certain definitions concerning housing facilities and developments with regard to industrial development corporations include affordable and workforce housing; authorizes a municipality or county to approve amendments to an economic impact plan when approving the plan.

As amended, requires the duration for which a multi-family facility, building, or structure under a voluntary attainable housing incentive program (VAHIP) must be deed-restricted to be at least 30 years, instead of in perpetuity. As introduced, authorizes municipalities and counties to post their code of ordinances or adopted resolutions, as applicable, on a website maintained by the municipality or county, or on the website maintained by the secretary of state if the municipality or county does not have or maintain a website.

As introduced, adds prostate cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer to the list of cancers for which a presumption is created that certain conditions or impairments of full-time firefighters caused by prostate cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, or other listed cancers arose out of employment unless the contrary is shown by competent medical evidence. 

Enacts the "Dismantling DEI Departments Act," which requires that a department, agency, or other unit of state government, county government, municipal government, metropolitan government, or a public institution of higher education shall not maintain or authorize an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion with all mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, or other declarations by such office or department are void.

As introduced, clarifies that any governmental entity may purchase any of the insurance authorized under state law, without the necessity of public bidding, as required by any public or private act or charter restriction, if such insurance is purchased through a plan authorized and approved by any organization of cities, counties, or other governmental entities as contemplated by state law.

As introduced, creates a presumption that the diagnosis of a law enforcement officer or emergency medical responder with post-traumatic stress disorder as the result of responding to certain incidents was incurred in the line of duty for purposes of workers' compensation coverage. 

As amended, requires the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study the economic impact on counties that are required to provide ambulance services (services), which counties provide services directly or franchise such services, which municipalities provide such services, and whether policy changes may benefit the overall health and delivery of services in this state. As introduced, requires a municipality that does not provide ambulance service to reimburse the county for such service in proportion to the municipality's population to the population of the county, up to 50 percent of the total cost of providing the service.

As amended, prohibits a city, town, utility district, or municipality that has operated a sewerage system outside of the corporate boundaries of the city or town for 25 years or more from ceasing the operation of such system outside the corporate boundaries so long as the system maintains sufficient capacity, as determined by a study presented to the Tennessee Board of Utility Regulation (TBOUR) to confirm the necessity of the closure. If a landowner has an existing gravity sewer line located on the landowner’s property and requests such connection and service, the city, town, utility district, or municipality must provide the connection to the system. 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. 

As introduced, requires the department of economic and community development to revise and certify the population of each county and municipality, and the aggregate population of the state, prior to July 1 each year during the interim between the regular decennial federal census to ensure equitable allocation and distribution of the local share of revenue; requires the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, through the Tennessee state data center, to generate annual population estimates for each county and municipality and provide the estimates to the department of economic and community development for review and certification.

Revises various provisions of the Modernization of Towing, Immobilization, and Oversight Normalization Act including adding penalties for violating the act. Adds a motor vehicle inspection portal to input abandoned or immobile vehicle information for public notice. Requires the removal of firearms from a stored motor vehicle. Prohibits booting a vehicle. Requires signage for the use of automatic license plate readers and parking fees collected. Details specific instances when towing a vehicle is allowed. Specifies the responsibilities of garage keepers who store towed vehicles. Allows a law enforcement agency to take into custody a motor vehicle found abandoned, immobile, or used in curbstoning. Allows public auction on unclaimed vehicles if certain aspects are met.

As introduced, reallocates the increase in the rate of sales and use tax from 6 percent to 7 percent pursuant to Chapter 856 of the Public Acts of 2002 by apportioning 4.6030 percent of such increase to municipalities.  This is a TML sponsored bill.

As introduced, creates a vested property right upon the submission, rather than the approval, of a development plan or building permit; specifies that the vesting period applicable when it is based on the submission of a building permit is three years.

As introduced, requires a utility to review plans of development for compliance with water, electric, and natural gas infrastructure codes within 30 days of the plan's submission; authorizes developers to hire a third-party plans examiner in lieu of the utility's review if not timely completed. 

As introduced, authorizes local governments to create local boards for the purpose of permitting retailers of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

As amended, requires all sales and use tax revenue generated from the sale of new or used motor vehicles and tires to be deposited in the Highway Fund. Allocates single article sales tax collections on the retail sale of new or used motor vehicles to the Highway Fund. Requires the Department of Transportation (TDOT) to conduct a study determining infrastructure needs, costs, and funding sources for the years 2027, 2050, and 2075, and to report findings and recommendations to certain legislative committees by January 1, 2027. Becomes effective October 1, 2025.  As introduced, directs department of transportation to study transportation infrastructure needs, costs, and funding sources for the years 2026, 2050, and 2075; allocates and deposits tax revenue from the sale and use of new or used motor vehicles and new or used tires in the state highway fund.

As amended, requires the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to study the economic impact on counties that are required to provide ambulance services (services), which counties provide services directly or franchise such services, which municipalities provide such services, and whether policy changes may benefit the overall health and delivery of services in this state. As introduced, requires a municipality that does not provide ambulance service to reimburse the county for such service in proportion to the municipality's population to the population of the county, up to 50 percent of the total cost of providing the service.

As introduced, prohibits the department of environment and conservation from applying criteria that will result in the classification of real property as a wetland, or otherwise regulating real property as a wetland, unless the property is classified as a wetland under federal law.

As introduced, requires a utility to review plans of development for compliance with water, electric, and natural gas infrastructure codes within 30 days of the plan's submission; authorizes developers to hire a third-party plans examiner in lieu of the utility's review if not timely completed. 

As introduced, authorizes local governments to create local boards for the purpose of permitting retailers of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.