New Laws Effective Now in Tennessee

Here is a summary of the new laws passed by the 113th Tennessee General that are now effective as of Monday, July 1, 2024 in Tennessee:

Crime/Public Safety 

Protecting property owners from squatters - Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation in 2024 to protect Tennessee homeowners from squatters by establishing a clear and expedited removal process. Squatting is the illegal practice of occupying a property without the owner’s lawful permission. The new legislation removes the burden from legitimate property owners by establishing a clear process for law enforcement to restore possession, which can expedite the removal of illegal occupants to as little as 72 hours. The legislation also clarifies that the sheriff may arrest the trespassers. Under previous law, it could take up to two years to remove an illegal squatter and cost a property owner thousands of dollars in legal fees, lost revenue, and property repairs. Although squatters have no rights in Tennessee, under previous law a property owner had to initiate a judicial eviction of the squatters. 

Senate Bill 795 / sponsored by Gardenhire, Taylor, Bowling, Lundberg, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Stevens, Walley, White / Effective date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1009 

Jillian's Law – As part of a large effort to improve public safety and crack down on crime, lawmakers approved a new law to require criminal defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial to be committed to an appropriate treatment facility. The law also requires individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial to be entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System which serves as a database of people prohibited from buying or owning firearms. 

The legislation is a result of the tragic murder of Jillian Ludwig, an 18-year-old Belmont University freshman who was fatally shot while walking in a Nashville park on Nov. 7, 2023. Her killer, Shaquille Taylor, was a repeat violent offender who was deemed incompetent to stand trial for committing aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in April 2023. Because of this finding, Taylor was released from custody and went on to murder Jillian Ludwig later that year. 

Senate Bill 1769 / sponsored by Lundberg, Stevens, Walley, Massey, Reeves, Rose, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 784

Prioritizing safety when setting bail - Another new measure requires judges to prioritize the safety of communities when setting bail for defendants. Other factors will still be considered including: the likelihood of appearing for the court date, nature of offense, and apparent probability of conviction. Under this legislation, the community will be put first and foremost when considering bail determinations for those charged with a crime. 

Senate Bill 2562 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager, Bowling, Walley / July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 612 

Violation of bond conditions - Lawmakers approved legislation which makes it a Class A misdemeanor to violate the conditions of a bond release. This change would allow law enforcement to arrest an individual who is suspected of violating the conditions of their release instead of having to wait for the district attorney’s office to file a motion and schedule a court hearing which could take weeks. 

Senate Bill 2563 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, Jackson, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 942 

Punishing monitor device tampering – A new law passed in 2024 aimed at preventing monitor device tampering by persons released on probation or parole. The legislation creates a Class B misdemeanor for any person who knowingly tampers with or removes their court-mandated monitoring device. 

Senate Bill 2654 / sponsored by White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 874 

Pretrial monitoring - A new law strengthens Tennessee’s bail laws and improves public safety. The measure requires defendants charged with a Class A, B, C or D felony to submit to pretrial monitoring if the magistrate issues conditions of release. Courts must also forfeit bail and may issue an arrest warrant if a defendant fails to comply with the conditions. 

Senate Bill 2566 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager, McNally, Walley, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1055 

Felony offense for repeat misdemeanors - Lawmakers passed legislation this year to continue to address the issue of persistent crime. A new law creates a Class E felony offense for being a three to five time repeat offender of 37 different misdemeanor offenses. After five or more convictions of qualifying misdemeanors in the past ten years, the offender would be subject to a class E felony charge at the discretion of a judge. A Class E felony is punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000.

After three or more convictions of certain repeat violent offenses (domestic assault and child neglect), the third or subsequent conviction could be raised from a class D misdemeanor to a class E felony. 

Senate Bill 2155 / sponsored by Watson, Gardenhire, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 987 

Inmate sentencing – A new law ensures that an inmate’s actual sentence could not be reduced with good-time credits. The Tennessee Department of Correction can issue good-time credits for inmates, but the bill clarifies that these credits can only be used toward release eligibility, not towards reduction of the actual sentence. 

Senate Bill 2044 / sponsored by Lundberg, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1038 

Dr. Benjamin Mauck Act - Lawmakers passed a law that increases penalties for assault in a healthcare facility. On July 11, 2023, Dr. Benjamin Mauck was shot point blank three times in his Collierville medical facility. One week prior, his life had been threatened by the individual who savagely murdered him. The law enhances the punishment for assault in healthcare facilities to a Class A misdemeanor and aggravated assault in healthcare facilities to a Class C felony. 

Senate Bill 1709 / sponsored by Hensley, Crowe, Niceley, Rose, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 928 

Back the Blue Act - A new law increases the penalties for assaulting a police officer from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. The law also increases the mandatory minimum sentence from 30 days to 60 days and the fine from $5,000 to $10,000. 

Senate Bill 2062 / sponsored by White, Stevens, Pody, Walley, Crowe, Hensley, Lowe, Niceley, Powers, Rose, Taylor / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 976 

Increasing penalties for drag racing – A new law increases the penalty for drag racing from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This change will give law enforcement the option to charge a person with either drag racing or reckless driving. 

Senate Bill 2710 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1000 

Penalizing false reports of active shooter - Lawmakers passed a law this year to increase protections against the intentional false reporting of emergencies in Tennessee, often referred to as “swatting.” The law makes it a Class C felony to knowingly make a false report of an active

shooter and hostage situation in order to draw a large law enforcement response to a specific location. This legislation expands on previous state law which imposed a Class C felony for intentionally making a false report regarding a past, present or future bombing or fire. 

Senate Bill 2222 / sponsored by Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 794 

Threats of violence at schools - A new law strengthens the punishment for threatening to commit mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity in Tennessee. The law increases the crime from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This law does not pertain to individuals with an intellectual disability. 

Senate Bill 2263 / sponsored by Lundberg, Crowe, Rose, Walley, Yarbro / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 887 

DUI enhancements - Lawmakers passed legislation that increases penalties for intoxicated drivers. The law increases the jail time requirement for drunk drivers from two days to seven days if their blood alcohol content (BCA) is equal to or higher than .15. 

Senate Bill 1055 / sponsored by Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1011 

Prohibiting license plate flippers – The General Assembly passed legislation criminalizing selling, manufacturing, purchasing and possessing license plate flippers. The new law makes it a Class B misdemeanor to purchase or possess license plate flippers and a Class A misdemeanor to manufacture, distribute and sell license plate flippers. License plate flippers allow drivers to switch between their legitimate plate and a blank or expired plate. They are sold in several physical and online retailers. Concealment of a license plate remains a Class C misdemeanor in Tennessee. This new law will enhance the penalty for concealing a license plate if a license plate flipper is involved.  

Senate Bill 2585 / sponsored by Taylor, Jackson, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 870 

Increasing punishment for intentionally blocking roads - Republicans passed a bill aimed at preventing roadways from being illegally blocked in Tennessee. The new law would increase the penalty for intentionally obstructing roadways or other areas used for transportation from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony. The law also allows anyone who suffered injury or loss as a result of the crime to seek compensatory damages through legal action. A Class D felony is punishable by a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.

Senate Bill 2570 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager, Bowling, Gardenhire, Hensley, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 958 

Stronger penalties for cyberattacks – This year lawmakers passed legislation to continue efforts to fight cybercrime and protect Tennessean’s online data. The new law adds cyberattacks to critical infrastructure vandalism crimes, making it a Class C felony. 

Senate Bill 2040 / sponsored by Rose, Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 627 

Juvenile Justice 

Adult court options for organized juvenile crimes - Legislation aimed at curbing violent crimes committed by juveniles in Tennessee was approved by the General Assembly this year. The new law allows local district attorneys and judges to determine if a juvenile age 15 and older should be transferred to adult criminal court when they are charged with committing or attempting to commit organized retail crime or theft of a firearm. The legislation addresses a dangerous trend in which minors are being recruited by adults to steal or break into businesses, homes or cars because there are fewer consequences for their actions. 

Senate Bill 2569 / sponsored by Taylor, Bowling, Jackson, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 635 

Parental Accountability Act – Legislation passed in the 2024 session to establish parental accountability for delinquent children. The Parental Accountability Act gives judges the discretion to fine parents or guardians, instead of the child, for their child’s delinquent actions after the first offense. If the parent is unable to pay the fine, community service is an alternative option. This bill is designed to incentivize parents to pay closer attention to their children. 

Senate Bill 2571 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, Johnson, Yager, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 943 

Communication between juvenile courts and DCS – To improve communication and coordination between the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and the juvenile justice system, lawmakers passed legislation requiring DCS to notify the juvenile judge of the committing court when a child in DCS custody is scheduled to be discharged. 

Senate Bill 447 / sponsored by Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 611

Keeping firearms away from violent juvenile delinquents - A new law aimed at enhancing community safety and preventing juvenile offenders from accessing firearms was approved by the General Assembly this year. It raises the age limit for juveniles convicted of specific crimes to purchase firearms to 25 years of age. This law applies if a juvenile over the age of 14 was convicted of crimes that if committed by an adult would constitute a charge like criminal homicide and aggravated assault. 

Senate Bill 2911 / sponsored by Bailey, Akbari, Campbell, Taylor / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 973 

Courts / Corrections 

Stronger penalties for indecent exposure by inmates - A new measure was approved by lawmakers to address a rampant problem in state prisons of inmates continuously exposing themselves to correctional officers and other staff members, especially female officers and staff.  The new law enhances the punishment to a Class E felony from a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, it would extend the inmate’s sentence by two weeks. If convicted more than once, the sentences will be served consecutively. 

Senate Bill 2337 / sponsored by Yager, Bowling, Jackson, Rose, Walley, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1049 

Allowing written fiduciary oath – A new law passed by Tennessee lawmakers allows the court to waive the requirement of a spoken fiduciary oath. The law makes it permissible, with a judge’s discretion, for conservators, guardians and fiduciaries to file written fiduciary oaths. 

Senate Bill 2227 / Rose, Stevens, Powers / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 582 

Failure to appear in court - A new law puts individuals who fail to appear in court for a bench warrant on a federal fugitive database. This law requires individuals charged with a felony or a Class A or B misdemeanor that is violent or sexual in nature to be put on the database within 10 business days after failing to appear in court. 

Senate Bill 2304 / sponsored by Gardenhire, Rose, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1048

Illegal Immigration 

Strengthened Sanctuary City Ban - This year Republican lawmakers passed a new law to require all law enforcement in Tennessee to notify the appropriate federal authorities if an individual is found to be in the country illegally. Under previous state law, notification was authorized but not required. This legislation builds on action taken in 2018 to ban sanctuary cities in Tennessee, which ensured that no local government can shield illegal immigrants from state and federal immigration laws. 

Senate Bill 2576 / sponsored by Taylor, Rose, McNally, Bowling, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Stevens, White / Effective date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 716 

Reporting crimes of illegal immigrants – Two laws passed this year to strengthen the state’s standing to sue the federal government over the costs of illegal immigrants to Tennessee’s taxpayers. The bills require reports to be generated detailing the costs incurred by the state from illegal immigrants who commit criminal offenses in Tennessee. 

One measure, Senate Bill 757, requires local law enforcement agencies to verify a detainee’s citizenship. If the detained person is found to be not lawfully present in the United States, then the jail must report that illegal immigrant to the District Attorneys General Conference (DAGC). 

The other bill, Senate Bill 2158, requires the DAGC to collect and compile data on the cost to Tennessee taxpayers of illegal immigrants in state custody for criminal offenses. It also requires the DAGC to collect data from law enforcement agencies on the number of persons not lawfully present in the United States. The report will be submitted to the Governor and both speakers of the General Assembly. The budget allocates $383,500 to implement this law and ensure the DA’s Conference has necessary resources to compile the report. 

Senate Bill 757 / sponsored by Haile, Jackson, Hensley, Taylor, Walley, White, Yager, Crowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / transmitted to Governor 

Senate Bill 2158 / sponsored by Haile, Yager, Jackson, Stevens, White / Effective Date: January 1, 2025 / Public Chapter 998 

Increasing punishment for illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes - This law allows a judge to sentence an illegal immigrant to life without parole if convicted of a violent crime or if a deadly weapon was involved in the offense. It also authorizes the same enhancement for adults convicted of a violent crime on school property. The arrest of an illegal immigrant and all subsequent convictions must be reported to the Tennessee Department of Safety and

Homeland Security. The data will be used to help understand the impact of illegal immigration on Tennessee. 

Senate Bill 2770 / sponsored by Bowling, Stevens, Taylor / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1063 

Clarifying immigration status requirements for employment - Lawmakers addressed the employment of illegal immigrants by passing a law that clarifies acceptable hiring practices for legal and illegal immigrants. The law specifies that when an employer considers hiring an immigrant who might be in the process of getting their documentation to work in the country legally, the employer must consider the immigrant’s legal status at the time he or she is seeking employment. 

Senate Bill 1866 / sponsored by Hensley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1026 

Protecting 2nd Amendment Rights 

Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act - This new law protects financial transaction data associated with firearm and ammunition purchases from being used to conduct mass surveillance of law-abiding Tennesseans. It prohibits financial institutions from requiring the use of a specific merchant category code (MCC) to identify transactions that occur at firearms retailers in the state. These financial institutes include banks and credit card companies. Alleged violations of the law will be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and could result in a civil penalty of up to $10,000. 

Senate Bill 2223 / sponsored by Johnson, Haile, Bowling, Crowe, Hensley, Bailey, Jackson, Niceley, Pody, Rose, Southerland, Stevens, Taylor, Walley, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 773 

Protecting Children and Family Values 

The Family Rights and Responsibilities Act - Lawmakers approved legislation this year that explicitly outlines the twelve fundamental rights of parents. These rights include the responsibilities to make education, healthcare, moral and religious decisions for their child. The law protects children from being indoctrinated by ideologies contrary to the values taught by their parents.

This legislation honors the fundamental role moms and dads play in the lives of their children as lead decision-makers and protectors. It shields families from government overreach by ensuring a parent’s inherent right to instill personal values, beliefs and cultural practices is preserved. 

Senate Bill 2749 / sponsored by Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Lowe, Massey, Stevens, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1061 

Legislation provides additional protections for parental rights in medical decisions - Legislation to prioritize parental rights and further protect Tennessee children from prohibited medical procedures passed the General Assembly this year. Senate Bill 2782 seeks to stop anyone from knowingly taking a minor across state lines without parental consent in order for the minor to receive a medical procedure prohibited in Tennessee. Under the legislation, any adult who recruits, harbors or transports a minor for a restricted medical procedure could be held civilly liable by the child’s parent or legal guardian under the proposed legislation. 

Senate Bill 2782 / sponsored by Bowling, Hensley, Pody / Effective Date July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1064 

Improvements to Age Appropriate Materials Act - This law provides more clarity to the Age Appropriate Materials Act of 2022. It adds that obscene materials must be kept from public school libraries. Obscene materials include content that is sexually explicit or excessively violent. The law adds to the existing Age Appropriate Materials Act which was passed in 2022. 

Senate Bill 1060 / sponsored by Hensley, Yager, Bailey, Bowling, Crowe, Niceley, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 782 

Increasing protections from bullying and cyberbullying - The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation this year that classifies bullying and cyberbullying as a form of harassment. This new law enables law enforcement officers to make a report of these incidents and, in the case of a minor, notify the parent or legal guardian. The legislation helps protect students from bullying and cyberbullying and the escalation that can come from this type of harassment. 

Senate Bill 1887 / sponsored Lowe, Massey / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 797 

K-12 

Improving access to charter school facilities - Legislation passed to ensure public charter school students have access to the same quality facilities as other public school students. The new law

requires school districts to regularly provide a list of vacant and underutilized properties and make them available to public charter schools at a fair market value. The change will provide charter schools with improved access to underutilized and vacant buildings that school districts are not using. 

Senate Bill 135 sponsored by Stevens , Bowling, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 923 

Empowering parents in their child’s education – Lawmakers passed legislation that empowers parents to have the final say if they want to hold their child back from the next grade. The new law allows parents and guardians to hold back their child from the next grade without the approval of the school board if their child has a learning or behavioral delay. 

Senate Bill 1688 / sponsored by Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 829 

Expanding CTE class size - To help provide more students with access to career development, a new law increases class size for CTE courses. Previous class size maximums were 25 students. This law allows Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to expand CTE class size in grades 6-8 to an average of 30 and a maximum of 35 students. 

Senate Bill 2764 / sponsored by Bowling, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 712 

Improvements to Age Appropriate Materials Act (Repeat from ‘Protecting Children’) - This law provides more clarity to the Age Appropriate Materials Act of 2022. It adds that obscene materials must be kept from public school libraries. Obscene materials include content that is sexually explicit or excessively violent. The law adds to the existing Age Appropriate Materials Act which was passed in 2022. 

Senate Bill 1060 / sponsored by Hensley, Yager, Bailey, Bowling, Crowe, Niceley, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 782 

Safe school traffic – Legislation passed this year that allows counties to hire employees or use volunteers to direct vehicles within a marked school zone. Under the new law, anyone who serves as a traffic director is required to undergo training and use the appropriate safety apparel and equipment. It also authorizes counties to close roads within certain hours of the day for easier and safer pickup and dropoff zones. 

Senate Bill 2771 / sponsored by Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 948

Full pay for teachers assaulted on the job - Under a new law approved this year, all public and charter schools are required to pay employees their full salary or average pay and full benefits if they were physically assaulted on the job and unable to work as a result. There were 1,918 cases of assault and 71 cases of aggravated assault against teachers and staff during the 2022-23 school year, according to the 2024 Tennessee Safe Schools Report. 

Senate Bill 1943 / sponsored by Crowe, Powers / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 839 

Ensuring well equipped teachers for students - A new law ensures teachers are equipped to teach certain courses. It requires unlicensed teachers to be issued temporary teaching permits by the Department of Education Commissioner in order to teach courses that have a required end of course exam. While it is always preferable to only have qualified teachers with valid license teaching courses, occasionally districts encounter situations where they need more flexibility with hard-to-staff teaching positions. This ensures that temporary teaching permits are used only as a last resort by districts. 

Senate Bill 2674 / sponsored by White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 876 

Textbook accessibility - This year, lawmakers passed a law ensuring students have reasonable access to necessary classroom materials. The law requires schools that provide electronic textbooks and instructional materials to students to also provide a physical copy if the child’s parent requests it. 

Senate Bill 2312 / sponsored by Pody, Crowe, Niceley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 752 

Higher Education 

Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling - A new law ensures that higher education institutions in Tennessee are complying with the Supreme Court’s decision to prohibit affirmative action admission practices. The law states that any audit of a higher education institution by the Tennessee Comptroller must ensure no Tennessee higher education institutions are using race as an admissions factor. This law is in response to the Supreme Court of the United States reversing the discriminatory practice of affirmative action, which allowed race to be used as a deciding factor in admission to a university.

Senate Bill 2822 / sponsored by Crowe, Bowling, Hensley, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1067 

Additional protections against divisive concepts advances - To continue efforts to combat viewpoint discrimination in higher education, lawmakers passed legislation this year that requires public colleges and universities to investigate alleged violations of the state’s divisive concepts law and report the findings within 10 days. The divisive concepts law, passed in 2022, stipulates that students or employees at public higher education institutions cannot be penalized, discriminated against, or adversely treated due to the student’s or employee’s refusal to endorse divisive concepts. State lawmakers must also be notified if an institution receives more than 10 reports of violations during a single academic year. 

Senate Bill 2501 / sponsored by Hensley, Crowe, Niceley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 815 

School Safety 

Assigning SROs to schools - New legislation passed by lawmakers aims to ensure that all schools have a school resource officer (SRO) on campus to increase the protection and safety of students and school personnel. Currently, some local boards of education have not entered into a memorandum of understanding with the local law enforcement agency, meaning that some schools do not have a SRO. This law will allow the local law enforcement agency to assign a law enforcement officer to serve as the SRO to a school. 

Senate Bill 1715 / sponsored by Hensley, Bowling, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 729 

Increasing availability of SROs – To help further address the shortage of qualified school resource officers (SRO), the General Assembly passed legislation to allow a retired law enforcement officer to be reemployed as a full-time SRO at a Tennessee public school without loss or suspension of the officer’s retirement benefits. The retired law enforcement officer must be a member of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) or local retirement fund to be eligible for this new law. 

Currently, over 500 Tennessee schools are without a school resource officer (SRO), even though the state provides grant funding to place an SRO in every Tennessee public school. This new law aims to minimize the safety risk for these schools by helping fill the shortage of SROs. 

Senate Bill 2901 / sponsored by Bailey, Pody, Walley, Powers, Rose, Gardenhire, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Lowe, Massey, Southerland, White, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 918 

Threats of violence at schools (Repeat from Public Safety) - A new law strengthens the punishment for threatening to commit mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity in Tennessee. The law increases the crime from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This law does not pertain to individuals with an intellectual disability. 

Senate Bill 2263 / sponsored by Lundberg, Crowe, Rose, Walley, Yarbro / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 887 

Threats of violence to another student - Legislation passed the General Assembly this year gives law enforcement another tool to stop students from threatening violence on school property. The new law clarifies the definition of school property and adds that students are held criminally liable for threats of violence communicated to another student. The offense would result in a Class B Misdemeanor. Previous law only covered threats made by students to teachers or other faculty. 

Senate Bill 1501 / sponsored by Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 903 

Loss of driver’s license for juveniles who threaten mass violence - Tennessee will now revoke the driving privileges for juveniles found to have made a threat of mass violence on school property or at a school related activity. The new law adds loss of driving privileges or the ability to obtain a driver’s license for one year to those adjudicated juvenile’s dispositions. 

Senate Bill 1664 / sponsored by White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 727 

Disclosing students’ criminal histories – To ensure schools are aware of their students’ criminal histories, lawmakers passed a law to authorize schools to remind parents of their obligation to disclose to the school if their child is convicted of certain delinquent acts. The law also increases the penalty for parents or legal guardians who fail to do so from a Class C misdemeanor to Class B misdemeanor. 

Senate Bill 2365 / sponsored by Watson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 721 

School emergency alert systems pilot program - This year lawmakers established a grant pilot program for safety alert systems in Tennessee public schools. The law provides $60,000 annually

to assist local school districts and public charter schools with the installation of rapid response devices. The systems can pinpoint the exact locations of an emergency and directly notify law enforcement in situations such as a medical emergency, unauthorized intruder, or other crisis. The Department of Education will be in charge of administering the grant program and funds must be awarded to two schools from each of the state’s three grand divisions. 

Senate Bill 2156 / sponsored by Johnson, Stevens, Massey / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 994 

Increased school bus safety -- A new law requires school districts to place a notice on every school bus stating that unauthorized individuals are not allowed to enter the vehicle. The sign must also include contact information in case there is an issue. Training for new school bus drivers and transportation supervisors would also be required to include information about the law. 

Senate Bill 1680 / sponsored by Haile / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 548 

Protecting right to carry non-lethal weapons on higher education campuses - Legislation to ensure college students in Tennessee can protect themselves on campus without facing criminal charges passed the General Assembly this year. The new law clarifies that it is not a crime for adults to carry certain non-lethal weapons in most buildings, recreation areas and other facilities on public college campuses. The bill specifies that non-lethal weapons include pepper spray, a pepper spray gun, pepper gel, mace, an electronic control device, a stun gun or other conducted energy device. 

Senate Bill 1868 / sponsored by Hensley, Bailey, Bowling, Crowe, Jackson, Lowe, Stevens, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 791 

Smart Heart Act - To improve safety for Tennessee athletes and educate coaches of health and safety problems that could occur during cardiovascular activity lawmakers passed the Smart Heart Act this year. The new measure expands upon previous law and requires high schools to provide automated external defibrillators (AED) accessible to students during school hours and within 1,000 feet of any athletic student activity. It also adds that the existing program must include training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for all participants. This new law will help keep more students safe and all students and coaches informed. Previous law only required coaches and athletes to be educated on cardiac arrest symptoms 

Senate Bill 2175 / sponsored by Hensley, Haile, Akbari, Campbell, Crowe, Lamar, Reeves, Watson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 625

Protecting Victims 

Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act - To protect victims of domestic violence, the General Assembly passed legislation that requires certain aggravated domestic violence suspects to wear GPS monitors if they are released on bond. Under the new law, a GPS service provider must notify a victim’s cell phone if their alleged attacker is within a certain proximity of their location. The company is required to notify local law enforcement when a violation of a defendant’s bond conditions occurred. 

The law is named in honor of Debbie Sisco and Marie Varsos. Both women were killed in 2021 by Varsos’ estranged husband Shaun who was out on bond for strangling his wife and threatening to shoot her a month earlier. There were 61,637 victims of domestic violence statewide in 2022, according to the most recent data from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 

Senate Bill 1972 / sponsored by Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1033 

Lifetime orders of protection - The General Assembly passed legislation this year expanding eligibility for lifetime orders of protections to include victims of harassment, aggravated stalking and especially aggravated stalking. In 2021, the General Assembly passed legislation that allowed victims of violent crime to petition a court for a lifetime order of protection. This legislation is an extension of that law and prohibits offenders convicted of these offenses from communicating with their victims for life. 

Senate Bill 1699 / sponsored by Rose, Akbari, Bowling, Hensley, Walley, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 632 

Expungement for human trafficking victims - This year, legislation passed that aims to protect victims of human trafficking with HIV whose records have been tainted by a conviction of aggravated prostitution. The new law allows these victims to expunge the aggravated prostitution conviction from their record. Additionally, the bill removes the requirement for those convicted of aggravated prostitution to be placed on the Sex Offender Registry. It also provides a path for the victim’s name to be removed from the SOR list. Being on the Sex Offender Registry makes it really hard for victims to access jobs, housing and certain rehabilitation programs. The new law gives victims the chance to take back their lives and allows them the chance for rehabilitation. 

Senate Bill 181 / sponsored by Walley, Jackson, Massey, Yarbro, Akbari, Bowling, Campbell, Lamar / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 545

Criminal Injuries Compensation Act -- Lawmakers passed legislation that helps streamline victims' ability to obtain compensation for damages brought on by their perpetrators. This law expands the time frame under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act for a crime to be reported by the victim from 48 hours to fifteen days. 

The new law provides victims a more reasonable amount of time to report the offenses and damages against them. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Act provides funds of last resort to financially assist innocent victims of crime with personal injuries. The law also expands the amount of documents a victim may submit in order to prove the crime occurred. Previous law only allowed this provision for victims of human trafficking. 

Senate Bill 1416 / sponsored by Rose, Oliver, Campbell, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 904 

Increasing support for victims of child sex trafficking – A new law gives victims of child commercial sex trafficking more time to file a civil lawsuit against their attacker. The law allows victims to sue up to 30 years after they turn 18 for any injuries or illnesses that occurred as a result of the sexual abuse. The law previously gave victims 15 years after they turn 18 to pursue civil action against an alleged perpetrator. 

Senate Bill 1801 / sponsored by Johnson, Yager, Haile, Akbari, Rose, Stevens, Walley, Campbell, Jackson, Oliver, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 790 

Fighting human trafficking at adult entertainment establishments - A new law requires that all adult-oriented establishments post the human trafficking hotline number on bathroom doors and all doors going in and out of the establishment. 

Senate Bill 2663 / sponsored by White, Akbari, Kyle, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 653 

Adoption / Foster Care / Children’s Services 

Helping relative caregivers with children in their custody - Legislation passed this year that removes the income limit for the Relative Caregiver Program, which provides stipends to those who care for children in their family. 

Since the program’s inception in 2022, many interested families have not qualified for the stipend because they were over the income limit. This law allows eligibility for all families. It

also streamlines the court process for a family member to become eligible for the stipend by allowing eligibility for relative caregivers awarded custody by a court. Previously, a final custody order from Juvenile Court was required to receive the stipend, which was a burdensome and lengthy process. 

Senate Bill 2071 / sponsored by Johnson, White, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 574 

Foster and Adoptive Parent Protection Act - This law prevents DCS from denying eligibility to foster or adopt because of religious and moral beliefs. The new protections prohibit the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) from requiring foster parents to adopt, affirm, or support any government policy. It also maintains that a child’s best interest is the priority during placement. It aims to protect religious freedom for existing and prospective foster and adoptive parents in Tennessee and ensures that the number of foster care homes in Tennessee continues to grow. 

Senate Bill 1738 / sponsored by Rose, Bowling, Haile, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 677 

Parentage fraud restitution - The General Assembly passed legislation that creates a pathway for restitution for victims of parentage fraud. Under the new law, in the event that a person is convicted of falsely leading a person into believing they are the biological parent of a child, then the judge or jury must ascertain the value of any child support paid by the victim in reliance upon the parentage fraud. The court will also order the defendant to pay the victim restitution of that value of child support. 

Senate Bill 2551 / sponsored by Lundberg / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 896 

Crimes Against Children / Child and Domestic Abuse 

Death penalty for child rapists - Under a new law, the death penalty could be on the table in cases of child rape. The measure increases the penalty for rape or aggravated rape of a child to death, life in prison without the possibility of parole, or life in prison. Previous law classified the offense as a Class A felony punishable as either a Range III offense, which carries a sentence of 40-60 years in prison or a Range II offense of 25-40 years in prison. Child rape is one of the worst crimes imaginable, and there are times life imprisonment for the rapist does not go far

enough. This legislation gives courts the ability to go after the most severe offenders of child rape with the most severe punishment. 

Senate Bill 1834 / sponsored by Johnson, Yager, Haile, Bowling, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 951 

Increasing penalty for child rape - The General Assembly passed another new law this year that increases penalties for certain child rape offenses. Under previous law, a person can only be charged with a violent juvenile offense for rape if the child is four years younger than the offender. The new law adds that individuals can be charged with a violent juvenile offense for rape if the age difference between them and the child is less than four years, at the judge's discretion. 

Senate Bill 2696 / sponsored by Southerland, Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 888 

Protecting children from continuous sexual abuse - Lawmakers passed a measure which adds continuous sexual abuse of a child to the list of offenses that require community supervision for life. Under the new law, a person convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child must serve the entirety of their sentence, which averages 24 years. 

Senate Bill 287 / sponsored by Haile, Jackson, Massey, Stevens, Rose / July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 525 

Expanding child endangerment offenses - Under a new law, parents and guardians are subject to a Class A misdemeanor offense for knowingly leaving a child in the care or supervision of a person who is a registered sex offender. 

Senate Bill 1587 / sponsored by Haile / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 952 

Protecting children from abusers - This year, legislation passed to ensure a child cannot be in a home where there is a history of child abuse. The law holds caregivers, parents or guardians accountable to protect the child from abuse by other individuals in the home. 

Senate Bill 2070 / sponsored by Johnson, Taylor, Haile, Rose, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 613 

Increased penalties for child endangerment – Tennessee lawmakers are actively working to prevent children from being knowingly endangered by an adult. A new law passed this year

creates a higher offense for any adult who knowingly endangers a child. The measure increases the charge from a Class D felony to a Class B felony for anyone who negligently places a child eight years old or younger in imminent danger of death, injury or physical or mental impairment. 

Senate Bill 2662 / sponsored by White, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 885 

Dependent and neglected child - A new law clarifies that the definition of a dependent and neglected child means a child at the time of the filing of the petition. A dependent and neglected child petition can be filed by a person or agency other than the Department of Children’s services. 

Senate Bill 2349 / sponsored by Haile, Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 862 

Cracked down on child pornography - To ensure Tennessee laws against child pornography apply to AI-generated images, legislation passed which adds AI-generated images to a punishable offense under the state’s laws dealing with sexual exploitation of children. Advances in technology have made it easier for perpetrators to create and distribute realistic-looking images and videos of minors, blurring the lines between real and fake content. 

Senate Bill 2668 / sponsored by White , Bowling, Lowe, Rose, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 911 

Prioritizing autopsies for children - A new law passed this year instructs the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and county and chief medical examiners to create policies prioritizing the autopsies of children involved in active investigations by DCS. The legislation pertains to issues uncovered by the Second Look Commission when trying to look at the most heinous deaths against children. The Commission looks at the autopsies to help investigate and close cases, and some of the autopsies have taken up to 3.5 years to be completed. The new measure ensures that the cases are prioritized so they can be closed and resolved quicker.  

Senate Bill 2929 / sponsored by Powers, Rose, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 881

Elderly and Vulnerable Adults 

Encouraging reports of elder abuse - To help the fight elder abuse, lawmakers passed legislation requiring district attorneys to provide confidentiality for those who report information regarding elder abuse. Under the law, those who come forward can still be interviewed, but their identity will be protected. The legislation also clarifies these individuals' information must be reported to the district attorney from adult protective services. This will help DAs go after abusers by encouraging citizens with knowledge of abuse to come forward. 

Senate Bill 163 / sponsored by Walley, Crow, Niceley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 655 

Increasing access to wheelchair repairs - Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation this year ensuring that simple, non-clinical repairs can be made independently to wheelchairs without voiding its warranty. The law also allows for annual preventative maintenance visits to be conducted by a wheelchair supplier. Previously, wheelchair repairs were required to be performed by an authorized technician with their supplier, or the warranty could be voided. The process could be time-consuming and prevent users from going to work or being out in the community. 

Senate Bill 2368 / sponsored by Watson, Akbari, Yager, Massey / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1050 

Protecting Life 

Penalties for abortion trafficking - A new law makes abortion trafficking of a minor a Class A misdemeanor. The law protects parental rights and stops adults who attempt to circumvent the state’s current abortion law by helping to facilitate an abortion for a minor without parental consent. 

Senate Bill 1971 / sponsored by Rose, Haile, Pody / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1032 

Health 

CON reform to increase health care access, lower costs - A new law gradually phases out the Certificate of Need (CON) permit requirements needed to provide nearly a dozen various health care services in the state during the next five years. The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission currently regulates the healthcare industry statewide through the CON program. That process

requires a permit to be issued for the establishment or modification of a health care institution, facility or service at a designated location. 

The timeline for removal of CON permit requirements is as follows: 

• July 1, 2025: Freestanding emergency departments not located within 10 miles of a competing acute care hospital or other freestanding emergency department would no longer need a CON. Additionally, any county without an actively licensed acute care hospital would also not require a CON for any services except rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies, hospice, methadone clinics and nursing homes. 
• Dec. 1, 2025: Intellectual disability institutional habilitation facilities, burn units, neonatal intensive care units, magnetic resonance imaging services and positron emission tomography 
• Dec. 1, 2027: Ambulatory surgical treatment centers, linear accelerator procedures and long-term care hospitals 
• Dec. 1, 2029: Open heart surgery 

The law requires rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, methadone clinics, and nursing homes to continue operating under CON in all 95 counties. Cardiac catheterization services, outpatient diagnostic clinics, acute care hospitals, and organ transplants will remain under CON in counties that currently have a licensed acute care hospital. 

Senate Bill 2009 / sponsored by Reeves, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 985 

More accessible hospital records for families - Lawmakers passed a law that will grant families the right to obtain their loved ones medical records from a hospital or other licensed health care facility in the state without the need for legal intervention. This law is specifically applicable in cases where there is no authorized representative after the death of a family member. Previous Tennessee law mandates that hospital records of deceased patients can only be accessed by their authorized representative appointed by a court. The law acknowledges the importance of familial relationships and the need for compassionate access to healthcare information after the passing of a loved one. 

Senate Bill 1779 / sponsored by Swan / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 739 

Newborn screenings for rare genetic disorders - Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation this session ensuring new diseases are reported from the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) within three years for newborn screenings. The Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) is a list of conditions that should be tested for during the newborn screening.

Oftentimes, it takes years for new diseases to be added to this list. This legislation ensures a quicker timeline for reporting these rare genetic disorders and diseases. 

Senate Bill 1791 / sponsored by Massey, Yarbro / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 768 

Increasing access to life-changing testing for children with rare disorders - A new law allows TennCare to cover medical expenses for genetic testing to identify treatments for children with rare diseases. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, over 7,000 such conditions exist, predominantly affecting children, with 80% stemming from genetic origins. The law offers hope to families by easing the financial burdens of identifying and treating a rare disease. It would allow parents to access testing that could streamline the diagnosis process and potentially save a child's life. 

Senate Bill 1762 / sponsored by Briggs, Swann, Campbell / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1020 

Dr. Benjamin Mauck Act (Repeat from Public Safety) - Lawmakers passed a law that increases penalties for assault in a healthcare facility. On July 11, 2023, Dr. Benjamin Mauck was shot point blank three times in his Collierville medical facility. One week prior, his life had been threatened by the individual who savagely murdered him. The law enhances the punishment for assault in healthcare facilities to a Class A misdemeanor and aggravated assault in healthcare facilities to a Class C felony. 

Senate Bill 1709 / sponsored by Hensley, Crowe, Niceley, Rose, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 928 

Smart Heart Act (repeat from School Safety) - To improve safety for Tennessee athletes and educate coaches of health and safety problems that could occur during cardiovascular activity lawmakers passed the Smart Heart Act this year. The new measure expands upon previous law and requires high schools to provide automated external defibrillators (AED) accessible to students during school hours and within 1,000 feet of any athletic student activity. It also adds that the existing program must include training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for all participants. This new law will help keep more students safe and all students and coaches informed. Previous law only required coaches and athletes to be educated on cardiac arrest symptoms 

Senate Bill 2175 / sponsored by Hensley, Haile, Akbari, Campbell, Crowe, Lamar, Reeves, Watson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 625

Protecting power of attorney rights in healthcare decisions - Lawmakers passed a law that ensures those with power of attorney for healthcare decisions cannot be prevented from visiting the patient in the hospital. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, some hospitals suspended or revoked a patient’s power of attorney’s right to visit and make healthcare decisions. Unfortunately, this caused many patients to pass away without being able to say goodbye to their loved ones. This new law prohibits hospitals from restricting or terminating a power of attorney’s visiting rights during a state of emergency. Visitors would still be required to follow safety protocols, but visitors cannot be forced to adhere to any invasive protocols such as having a vaccination or medical procedure done before entering the hospital. 

Senate Bill 1641 / sponsored by Pody, Haile, Hensley, Bowling, Jackson, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 766 

Anti-blocking healthcare information - Lawmakers passed a law that helps prevent information blocking in Tennessee’s healthcare communities.The law enforces a federal anti-blocking law for electronic health records. 

Senate Bill 2012 sponsored by Reeves / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 931 

Mental Health 

Expanding Mental Health Coverage - Legislation passed this year which expands health coverage for those in need of mental health services. It requires TennCare to cover mental health services at the same coverage rate for alcoholism and drug dependent patients. 

Senate Bill 2801 / sponsored by Massey, Yager, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 949 

Healthcare Professionals Licensure / Scope of Practice 

Scope of practice for physicians assistants - To help delegate physicians' high workload, the general assembly approved legislation to expand the scope of practice for physicians assistants. The new law allows PA’s to perform minor operations without supervision as well as perform certain tasks with a physician's oversight. 

Senate Bill 2136 / sponsored by Reeves, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1042

Mental health medical practitioners - Lawmakers passed a law that adds licensed professional counselors, marital and family therapists and clinical pastoral therapists to the list of medical practitioners in code. This will allow for these mental health specialists to serve more people across Tennessee. 

Senate Bill 2004 / sponsored by Rose, Campbell / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1025 

Physician Assistants Compact – Tennessee has many compacts with other states that allow certain workers to cross state lines with their licenses and practice in those states and in our state. Lawmakers passed a law that adds physician assistants to these already existing compacts by enacting the Physician Assistant (PA) Licensure Compact. 

Senate Bill 1727 / sponsored by Jackson, Crowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2025 / Public Chapter 1018 

Dietitian Licensure Compact - A new law creates the Dietitian Licensure Compact. The compact aims to facilitate the interstate practice of dietetics to improve public access to dietetics services without the dietitian having to obtain state licensure. 

Senate Bill 1862 / sponsored by Haile, Campbell / Effective Date: July 1, 2026 / Public Chapter 1025 

Licensed sleep technicians - A new law passed that addresses the shortage of licensed sleep technicians in Tennessee where lack of sleep is a significant issue. The law allows a student to present A-STEP training as a satisfactory requirement for licensure as a polysomnographic technologist. 

Senate Bill 468 / sponsored by Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 736 

Substance Abuse 

Ben Kredich Act - Under a new law, first responders who administer an opioid antagonist such as Narcan to an individual experiencing a drug overdose may provide information on the risk of driving within a 24-hour period. The law is named after Ben Kredich who tragically lost his life after being struck by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel after being administered Narcan in a hospital earlier that day. The driver was unaware that the drugs causing the overdose would remain in his system for at least 24 hours, even after the Narcan was administered. The law aims to clarify that patients who have been treated for a drug overdose with Narcan could still

be impaired and charged with driving under the influence, as drugs would still be present in their system. 

Senate Bill 2116 / sponsored by Massey, Jackson, Rose, Yager, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1039 

Preventing DUI homicide recidivism - Ledford’s Law was passed this year to reduce the chances that offenders in DUI homicide cases will reoffend and jeopardize the lives of others on the road. The law is named after Dustin Ledford who was killed by an intoxicated driver in 2011. The offender was paroled and subsequently reoffended, almost taking another life. Under the new law, offenders on parole are now required to undergo substance abuse treatment or behavioral counseling. 

Senate Bill 1583 / sponsored by Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 671 

DUI enhancements (Repeat from Public Safety) - Lawmakers passed legislation that increases penalties for intoxicated drivers. The law increases the jail time requirement for drunk drivers from two days to seven days if their blood alcohol content (BCA) is equal to or higher than .15. 

Senate Bill 1055 / sponsored by Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1011 

TennCare Equal coverage for non-opioid medications - This year lawmakers passed a new law ensuring that individuals have equal access to non-opioid pain medications for effective pain treatment and management. The law makes sure that non-opioid, FDA approved drugs for pain are not at a disadvantage compared to opioid or narcotic drugs in terms of coverage for pain treatment or management on the Prescription Drug List (PDL). Equal coverage for non-opioid pain medications facilitates access to a broader range of treatment options for individuals experiencing pain. The legislation also encourages the use of non-opioid pain medications as safer alternatives to opioids for pain management. 

Senate Bill 2011 / sponsored by Reeves, Bowling, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 762 

Medication-assisted treatment - A new law increases the number of patients a mid-level physician can treat with Buprenorphine from 50 to 100 patients. Buprenorphine is used in medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. 

Senate Bill 2019 / sponsored by Reeves, Yarbro, Campbell, Pody, Walley / Effective date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 808

Tax Cuts / Jobs / Commerce 

Tennessee addresses AI Impact on music industry - This year, Tennessee led the nation in addressing the impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had on the music industry. The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act protects music artists' voices from the misuse of AI. The new law updates Tennessee’s Protection of Personal Rights law to include protections for songwriters, performers, and music industry professionals’ voices. Our music industry supports more than 61,617 jobs across the state, contributes $5.8 billion to the state’s GDP, and fills over 4,500 music venues. Tennessee’s previous law protected name, image and likeness, but not new, personalized generative AI cloning models and services that enable human impersonation. While the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is exciting in many ways it also presents new challenges -- especially for singers, songwriters and other music professionals. It is crucial our laws protect music artists from AI-generated synthetic media which threatens their unique voices and creative content. 

Senate Bill 2096 / sponsored by Johnson, Crowe, Campbell, Akbari, Bailey, Bowling, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Reeves, Rose, Stevens, Walley, Yarbro / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 588 

Supporting Tennessee’s music industry - Lawmakers passed a law this year that creates the Live Music and Performance Venue Fund to provide grants for live music performances, venues, performers and promoters. 

Senate Bill 2508 / sponsored by Johnson, Yarbro, Campbell, Akbari, Crowe, Lowe, Oliver, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 867 

Restricting vehicle booting - A new law prohibits unlicensed individuals from booting vehicles in Tennessee and caps the fee to remove a boot at $75. This law ensures vehicles are not unfairly immobilized by overzealous parking attendants. It generally prohibits booting vehicles in Tennessee, with exceptions for individuals licensed through a local government. Local governments that choose to allow booting must be responsible for licensing and enforcement compliant with minimum standards set in the law. It also ensures that vehicle owners are properly notified if their vehicle is being towed, sold or demolished by a towing company. 

Senate Bill 1692 / sponsored by Johnson, Rose, Stevens, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1017 

Protecting Tennesseans from debanking - Debanking for political and religious reasons has been on the rise and a new law passed this year addresses and prevents discriminatory banking

practices. Under this law, financial institutions and insurers are prohibited from denying or canceling services to individuals due to political opinions, religious beliefs, social credit scores, and other factors. The law makes debanking by financial institutions with over $100 billion in assets an unfair or deceptive practice under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977, carrying Class B misdemeanor offenses. No individual should face the loss of banking services or access to their accounts due to their values or beliefs. 

Senate Bill 2148 / sponsored by Johnson, Crowe, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Niceley, Stevens, Taylor, Walley, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 746 

Safeguarding Tennessee against digital currency - To protect Tennesseans against the risks of a centralized digital currency, lawmakers passed legislation that prevents a centralized digital bank from incorporating a deposit account. Lawmakers also passed a law that will exclude the term “money” from the definition of “central bank digital currency.” 

Senate Bill 479 / sponsored by Stevens, Bowling, Walley / Effective Date: Upon becoming law / Public Chapter 802 

Senate Bill 2219 / sponsored by Powers, Bowling, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 694 

Tennessee leads the nation in trusts - Every year for almost a decade, Tennessee has updated its trust laws and is now one of the leading trust jurisdictions in the country. A new law makes various updates to strengthen trust laws to keep Tennessee at the forefront of the country’s leading trust jurisdictions. The state’s annual efforts to improve trust laws have resulted in new trust companies coming to Tennessee and increased business opportunities for existing trust companies. In the past eight years, the total trust assets under management in Tennessee has increased from $25 billion to $270 billion. 

Senate Bill 2256 / sponsored by Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 695 

Increasing workforce participation - This session, legislators passed a law that enables individuals with specific criminal offenses on their record to secure employment opportunities. The law allows licensing authorities to evaluate candidates' criminal histories on a case-by-case basis when determining approval or denial of certain occupational licenses. 

Senate Bill 1915 / sponsored by Niceley, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 788

Ensuring compensation for workers - To help protect workers against unreasonable refusal for compensation, lawmakers passed a law that will ensure workers are compensated for all hours worked. The law requires causes of action for all compensation owed to employees within three years. These actions include: breach of contract, unjust enrichment/quantum merit for unpaid wages for hours worked, overtime, minimum wage, salary, bonuses, commissions, and other compensation. 

Senate Bill 2017 / sponsored by Reeves, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 747 

Temporary No-Wake Zones - A new law increases the safety of workers trying to make repairs around bodies of water in Tennessee. The law grants the executive director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency the authority to declare a special, temporary no-wake zone in very limited circumstances. 

Senate Bill 2046 / sponsored by Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 845 

Certified engineers - A new law will allow more qualified professionals to become certified engineers to be placed in the high-demand work field. The law allows graduates of unaccredited engineering technology programs to become a certified engineer if certain requirements are met. 

Senate Bill 2498 / sponsored by Powers, Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 706 

Social Work Licensure Compact - To increase access to quality social workers, a new law establishes the Social Work Licensure Compact. The law seeks to enable social workers who are qualified to work in other states participating in the compact to work in Tennessee. Two other states have also ratified the Compact. This law puts the framework in place for the compact to go into effect when seven states ratify the Compact. 

Senate Bill 2134 / sponsored by Walley, Briggs, Swann, Massey, Kyle, Jackson, Yarbro, Akbari, Campbell, Lamar, Yager / Effective Date July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1041 

Local Government / Rural Communities 

Resilient Tennessee Revolving Loan Fund Act - This new act will help local governments mitigate risks from natural disasters. The law authorizes Tennessee to receive federal funds via

the STORM Act, which was passed by Congress in 2021. The STORM Act allows eligible states to receive a loan fund for hazard mitigation assistance to reduce risks from natural hazards and disasters. The funds can be used to help local governments and rural counties prepare for natural disasters. 

Senate Bill 2082 / sponsored by Johnson, Walley, Yager / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 686 

Offsetting costs for county jails - A new law reimburses county jails for the costs of providing HIV medications for inmates. Under the new law, the state Department of Correction is required to pay for HIV medications for inmates committed to a county jail or workhouse who previously received prescription medication to treat HIV or AIDS through a state department, agency, or program, such as TennCare. These medications can run up to $7,000 per month for each affected inmate, which can have a severe impact on budgets for county jails. 

Senate Bill 1771 / sponsored by Lundberg, Yager, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 999 

Helping rural utility operations - A new measure allows counties a one-year reprieve of paying depreciation after utility installation, and still keeps the municipality in compliance with accounting standards. This law will help rural counties with utility depreciation. Many rural counties cannot afford to accept block grants because the state's expectations of depreciation prevent rural municipalities from upgrading their utility systems. Under previous law, the municipality was responsible for paying depreciation immediately, which was costly and burdensome. 

Senate Bill 129 / sponsored by Walley, Yager, Jackson, Stevens / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1004 

TWRA grants for Marinas – In 2022, lawmakers established a grant program for marinas to address public infrastructure costs. The program was funded through gasoline tax revenue and administered by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). This year, a new law passed  allowing these grants to be administered based on the amount of gasoline sold. It also will ensure that a minimum of twenty-five marinas receive a grant, ensuring that regardless of size, all marinas can participate in the grant program. 

Senate Bill 2324 / sponsored by Yager, Walley, Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 660

Hardship licenses - The General Assembly passed a law easing the hardship license application process for rural Tennesseans. The law allows Tennesseans who live at least 30 miles from a driver services center to complete classroom training online for a Class H or hardship license. 

Senate Bill 2356 / sponsored by Yager, Jackson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 698 

Preventing conflicts of interest - A new law requires members of a county legislative body to record any potential conflicts of interest before a vote on a measure is taken. 

Senate Bill 2548 / sponsored by Swann / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 798 

Government Efficiency / Operations 

Tennessee Disability and Aging Act - A new law passed this year by the Tennessee General  Assembly that merges the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) and Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) into a new cabinet-level agency called the Department of Disability and Aging (DDA). Adults 65 years and older are the fastest-growing demographic in Tennessee. With an increasing aging population, this move will help the state serve the needs of older adults. TCAD is Tennessee’s federally designated “state unit on aging,” currently overseeing Older Americans Act programs and providing leadership relative to aging issues throughout state government. 

Senate Bill 2098 / sponsored by Johnson, Massey, Yager, Crowe, Jackson, Niceley, Reeves, Rose, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 688 

Expediting Construction Timelines - Lawmakers passed a law that expedites construction timelines for Tennessean homeowners. The law mandates fire marshals to conduct inspections within 10 business days of receiving inspection requests. 

Senate Bill 1735 / sponsored by Rose / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1019 

Agriculture / Conservation / Property Rights 

Protecting property owners from squatters (Repeat from Public Safety) - Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation in 2024 to protect Tennessee homeowners from squatters by establishing a clear and expedited removal process. Squatting is the illegal practice of occupying a property

without the owner’s lawful permission. The new legislation removes the burden from legitimate property owners by establishing a clear process for law enforcement to restore possession, which can expedite the removal of illegal occupants to as little as 72 hours. The legislation also clarifies that the sheriff may arrest the trespassers. 

Under previous law, it could take up to two years to remove an illegal squatter and cost a property owner thousands of dollars in legal fees, lost revenue, and property repairs. Although squatters have no rights in Tennessee, under previous law a property owner had to initiate a judicial eviction of the squatters. 

Senate Bill 795 / sponsored by Gardenhire, Taylor, Bowling, Lundberg, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Stevens, Walley, White / Effective date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 1009 

Property rights - Under a new law, Tennesseans can now take legal action against a local government that implements or seeks to implement prohibited property right restrictions. The law expands on legislation approved last year preventing political subdivisions from crafting policies that deliberately or inadvertently restrict private property rights without due process. 

Senate Bill 2743 / sponsored by Niceley, Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 877 

Safeguarding homeowners - A new law helps shield homeowners from the threat of foreclosure by Homeowners Associations (HOAs). Under the new law, HOA’s will not be permitted to foreclose on a resident’s home for their failure to pay fees associated with nonessential amenities. This measure ensures that homeowners are protected from disproportionate consequences for financial challenges related to optional community features. 

Senate Bill 2150 / sponsored by Johnson / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 691 

Investigations of property - A new law requires local law enforcement agencies to be notified before a person enters an area to investigate suspected animal cruelty. The law would also ensure state or local employees have probable cause prior to entering private property or an animal facility. Law enforcement will also have to be notified prior to an arrest being made for alleged cruelty to non-livestock animals. 

Senate Bill 2478 / sponsored by Hensley, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 704

Preserving wildlife management - Tennessee lawmakers passed a new law clarifying that hunting, fishing and conservation are the preferred methods of wildlife management in Tennessee. The law also requires appointees to the Fish and Wildlife Commission to be active participants in activities regulated by the commission. This law proactively prevents issues hunters in other states are facing. 

Senate Bill 2039 / sponsored by Rose, Lowe / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 626 

The Atmosphere Protection Act - The General Assembly passed legislation this year that will protect Tennessee’s atmosphere from the federal government’s efforts to conduct geoengineering experiments. These experiments intentionally disperse chemicals into the atmosphere and the risk to the public health and welfare is unknown. Specifically, the legislation prohibits 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 purpose of affecting temperature, weather or the intensity of the sunlight. The prohibition of these practices will help protect all Tennesseans. 

Senate Bill 2691 / sponsored by Southerland, Crowe, Bowling, Haile, Pody, Walley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 709 

Beekeeper protections - A bill to increase protections for beekeepers in Tennessee passed the General Assembly this year. This law makes it a Class C felony to take control of bees and beekeeping equipment without the owner’s consent. 

Senate Bill 2650 / sponsored by Niceley / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 708 

Law Enforcement 

Warrantless drone use by law enforcement – Legislators passed a law that allows law enforcement to continue using drones for searches and evidence collection in cases of natural disaster emergencies, criminal investigations and for certain security purposes without needing court approval. In 2021 lawmakers passed legislation that expanded warrantless use of drones by law enforcement until July 1, 2024. This new law makes that expansion permanent. 

Senate Bill 1645 / sponsored by Massey, Jackson, Yager / Effective Date: Upon becoming law / Public Chapter 524

Back the Blue Act (repeat from ‘Public Safety’) - A new law increases the penalties for assaulting a police officer from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. The law also increases the mandatory minimum sentence from 30 days to 60 days and the fine from $5,000 to $10,000. 

Senate Bill 2062 / sponsored by White, Stevens, Pody, Walley, Crowe, Hensley, Lowe, Niceley, Powers, Rose, Taylor / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 976 

Official State Symbols and Designations 

Designating 10 State Books - Tennessee has many official state symbols ranging from flowers to songs. This year lawmakers designated 10 different books – written largely by Tennessee authors – as official state books. The books center around the history of the United States, democracy and Tennessee culture. Among the proposed state books are All the King’s Men by Tennessean Robert Penn Warren; The Civil War: A Narrative by renowned historian from Memphis Shelby Foote; Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton; and the Aitken Bible which was the first first English Bible printed in America in 1782. 

Senate Bill 1822 / sponsored by Rose, Bowling, Bailey, Crowe, Niceley, Southerland, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 720 

Other 

Improving safety at campgrounds – Legislation was approved this year to help protect families at campgrounds. The new law requires campground owners to clearly inform visitors of all rules regarding curfew, alcohol use, tobacco use, pets. To ensure proper notice of the rules, policies must be posted in high traffic areas or another method of notification for campers. The law also requires campsite owners to remove anyone who violates these rules from the premises and notify law enforcement. 

Senate Bill 2918 / sponsored by Bailey, Bowling / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 665 

Requiring carbon monoxide detectors in daycares - To ensure the safety of children in childcare facilities across Tennessee, lawmakers passed a law that requires childcare facilities to have carbon monoxide detectors installed in every room. The law follows an incident at a childcare facility that resulted in the building being evacuated due to high carbon monoxide levels. The facility did not have carbon monoxide detectors and many children were exposed to

dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. The law will help prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure children do not suffer the long-term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Senate Bill 2066 / sponsored by Bailey, Oliver, Campbell, White / Effective Date: July 1, 2024 / September 1, 2024 / Public Chapter 733