LOCAL Thank you so much for the continued opportunity to work hard on your behalf here in Nashville! This week has been incredibly busy, with numerous important bills being heard and successfully passed on the House floors. At the same time, many more bills are steadily making their way through the various committees and I […]
LOCAL
Thank you so much for the continued opportunity to work hard on your behalf here in Nashville!
This week has been incredibly busy, with numerous important bills being heard and successfully passed on the House floors. At the same time, many more bills are steadily making their way through the various committees and I am constantly reminded of how truly blessed I am to represent and serve the people of District 77.
Looking ahead to next week, we can expect another full schedule, but I am genuinely excited to see many of my own bills moving through committees and subcommittees.
It’s an honor to be part of this process and to work toward positive change for our district. Thank you for your continued support!
STATEWIDE
Republicans seek to fight violent crime with DNA
A bill sponsored by State Rep. John Crawford, R-Bristol-Kingsport, requires law enforcement to collect a biological specimen for DNA analysis from individuals arrested for felony offenses. Similar to fingerprints and photographs, DNA can be used to uniquely identify individuals involved in crimes.
House Bill 473 would establish procedures for DNA collection and the management of biological samples by law enforcement.
If it becomes law, anyone arrested for a felony offense will have a biological specimen collected before being released from custody. The arresting authority will use a buccal swab collection kit to gather the sample, which will then be sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for analysis. The DNA information will be securely stored and could aid in criminal investigations.
“Our criminal justice system depends on having a strong forensic infrastructure so that we can increase efficiency and expedite justice for victims,” Crawford said. “This bill will help us solve cold cases but also prevent extremely dangerous individuals from committing more crimes.”
The TBI will establish uniform procedures for DNA collection, and law enforcement agencies must follow these standards. If a defendant is granted bond or recognizance, providing a DNA specimen will be a condition of release.
The bill requires the TBI to destroy DNA samples and related records if charges are dismissed or a defendant is acquitted, provided there are no other pending charges or warrants.
Crawford was inspired to file the bill to honor a Kingsport mother who was sexually assaulted and her 17-year-old son, James Huston, who was stabbed to death in 1997. At the time, the scene was processed and DNA was collected, but the technology wasn’t readily available.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office reexamined the case and, through genetic DNA testing, were able to indict George Scott Robinson on three counts of first-degree murder in 2024.
“For 27 years, a man got away with murder and rape,” Crawford said. “This legislation provides a critical tool that equips Tennessee’s criminal justice system with the ability to get violent people off our streets.”
All 50 states collect DNA samples from certain people convicted of crimes. At least 27 states collect DNA samples when an individual is arrested for a felony or a subset of felony crimes.
House Bill 473 is expected to be heard for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on March 12.
General Assembly approves limiting devices in classrooms
Legislation requiring local school boards and charter schools to implement policies banning the use of personal communication devices during instructional time was approved by the General Assembly this week.
House Bill 932, sponsored by State Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, defines personal communication devices as cellphones, tablets, laptops, smart watches and gaming devices. There are exceptions for educational purposes, health management and students with disabilities.
“My primary focus is ensuring students receive the best education which includes addressing distractions like personal devices in the classrooms,” Alexander said. “This bill gives each school district the flexibility to implement the best policy for their needs and ensures parents can receive critical information during emergencies.”
Several school systems across Tennessee have implemented similar personal device policies and have seen tremendous benefits while not limiting important communication to parents.
House Bill 932 requires schools to establish a system to communicate with parents during emergencies.
An amendment was added to the Senate companion bill and the House is expected to take a final vote on the amended version of the bill next week. Once signed into law, school boards must have policies in place by the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Proposal will enhance medical readiness of TN National Guard
A bill making its way through the General Assembly seeks to enhance the medical readiness of the Tennessee National Guard by increasing access to health care.
The Tennessee National Guard Servicemember’s Medical Readiness Act, sponsored by State Rep. Gary Hicks, R-Rogersville, will create a premium reimbursement grant program within the Tennessee Department of Military to help National Guard members in the Volunteer State with health care costs.
“Members of the American military have placed service above self and are worthy of our unwavering support,” Hicks said. “Unfortunately, many of these men and women have medical issues that affect their ability to serve in state and federal deployments. The Tennessee National Guard Servicemember’s Medical Readiness Act will help provide Tennessee’s guardsmen with the financial and medical assistance they deserve while ensuring our National Guard is adequately prepared to respond when necessary.”
House Bill 479 will authorize premium reimbursement grants for guardsmen who are eligible for medical or dental coverage through TRICARE, the United States military’s health insurance program. The Tennessee Adjutant General will establish requirement criteria that servicemembers must meet in their application to receive reimbursements.
Members of the National Guard with certain medical or dental issues can be deemed nondeployable for federal and state missions, which can include floods, fires and tornadoes.
This legislation seeks to enhance military readiness, boost recruiting and retention, and improve access to and continuity of care in the Tennessee National Guard.
House Bill 479 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee on March 12.
Bill adding Safe Haven Law instruction in schools advances
The House Education Instruction Subcommittee this week advanced legislation ensuring Tennessee high schoolers are aware of the state’s protections for parents who need to legally surrender their newborn.
House Bill 368,sponsored by State Rep. Tom Stinnett, R-Friendsville, requires Tennessee public and charter schools serving grades 9-12 to educate students about the Safe Haven Law.
“I believe many young people may not be fully aware of Tennessee’s Safe Haven Law and the protections our state offers parents in crisis,” Stinnett said. “By integrating this education into our curriculum, we can ensure every student has this life-saving resource if ever needed.”
Through the Tennessee Safe Haven Law, mothers are able to surrender their infant within 14 days of birth to staff at any Safe Haven facility or newborn safety device, commonly known as a Safe Haven Baby Box.
The Tennessee Board of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education would be required to develop the curriculum. The legislation encourages a partnership with A Secret Place for Newborns of Tennessee to help create the educational materials.
If approved, the guidelines and educational materials must be distributed to school districts and charter schools before the 2026-27 school year.
House Bill 368 is set to be heard in the House Education Committee on March 11.
Bill speeds up compensation for wrongfully imprisoned people
A streamlined process for wrongfully imprisoned Tennesseans to receive compensation advanced out of the House Departments and Agencies Subcommittee this week.
House Bill 592, sponsored by State Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, will authorize the Tennessee Department of the Treasury Board of Claims to hear compensation claims for people whose sentences have been vacated and whose charges have been dismissed. The legislation also authorizes a claimant’s surviving adult and minor children to receive compensation if the wrongfully imprisoned person is deceased.
“Two years ago, I had a very nice lady and a nice man come to my office and they told me a story about a lady who had spent 27 years in prison for a crime that she did not commit,” Doggett told the House Departments and Agencies Subcommittee of Joyce Watkins, who was wrongfully convicted and is still awaiting approval for compensation. “That day of that meeting, I wrote this lady’s name on a sticky note and stuck it on the corner of my desk. … When this nice man and woman brought me this bill this year and I filed this bill, I took that sticky note off the corner of my desk because we have a solution.”
Joyce Watkins, 77, was declared innocent and exonerated in 2022. She has been trying unsuccessfully to get compensation from the state.
Currently, wrongfully imprisoned Tennesseans must receive a certificate of exoneration from the governor to file for compensation from the Board of Claims, a lengthy procedure similar to applying for a pardon or clemency. House Bill 592 makes the process more efficient by allowing wrongfully convicted people to directly bring a claim to the Board of Claims.
This legislation states that a person must have their conviction overturned and the state must dismiss all charges to be eligible for compensation. This change in the law would only help innocent people, not people whose cases are dismissed for non-innocence reasons. House Bill 592 is scheduled to be considered in the House State and Local Government Committee on March 12.
Caring for Caregivers Act advances
The House Health Subcommittee this week unanimously advanced legislation supporting caregivers of Alzheimer’s and related dementia patients.
The Caring for Caregivers Act, sponsored by State Rep. Renea Jones,R-Unicoi, creates a grant fund to help caregivers with lost wages and expenses related to caring for their loved one.
“House Bill 717 was inspired by a constituent who shared his family’s experience caring for his grandfather with Alzheimer’s,” Jones said. “Caregivers can lose more than $36,000 annually in wages and expenses looking after their loved one. This legislation lays the foundation to support approximately 360,000 caregivers statewide.”
More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for a family member or friend with dementia, a contribution to the nation valued at nearly $350 billion, according to a 2024 report by the Alzheimer’s Association.
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program with the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging to provide $6,000 grants to families and caregivers of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Several states, including Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina, have similar programs to help caregivers with out-of-pocket expenses. House Bill 717 is scheduled to be heard in the House Health Committee on March 11.
Republicans to expand Tennessee’s racketeering law
Legislation to add several offenses to the definition of racketeering activity in Tennessee law is advancing through the House of Representatives.
House Bill 587,sponsored by State Rep. Rick Scarbrough, R-Oak Ridge, amends the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act of 1989 to include offenses of organized retail crime, carjacking, and possession or employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
“Strengthening our laws to combat organized crime like carjacking and retail theft is a critical step in safeguarding our communities,” Scarbrough said. “This bill ensures those who engage in these dangerous activities will be held accountable and face the full consequences of their actions.”
There are currently 69 criminal offenses under the RICO Act, including drug and human trafficking, money laundering and prostitution.
The General Assembly in 2023 expanded the time frame in which two activities can be linked under the definition of racketeering activity, improving the state’s ability to prosecute racketeering crimes.
A violation of the RICO Act is a Class B felony offense. Violators face a fine up to $250,000, a minimum of 12 years in prison and up to 30 years for career offenders.
House Bill 587 was unanimously approved by the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week and will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on March 12.
Republicans seek protections against dangers of fentanyl
Several proposals to protect Tennesseans from the dangers of fentanyl moved through the House of Representatives this week.
House Bill 751, sponsored by House Majority Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, will enhance the penalty to a Class E felony for knowingly placing a child in danger of death or injury by possessing any amount of fentanyl or its derivatives in their presence. It would a Class B felony if the child exposed to the dangerous drug is under eight years old.
“One of the things that my (district attorney) and the Opioid Abatement Council all looked at is the notion that we have parents or adults who have the analogues and all the stuff that goes into making fentanyl and high-powered drugs that are killing people in front of children,” Faison said.
Poison centers in the United States managed 539 cases of children under six years old being exposed to fentanyl in 2023, an increase from 10 cases in 2016, according to America’s Poison Centers.
House Bill 573, sponsored by State Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, would lower the amount of fentanyl that would be deemed a Class A felony in Tennessee from 150 grams to 50 grams.
Offenders accused of selling, manufacturing or possessing 50 grams or more of fentanyl or a derivative would face a Class A felony with a fine of up to $500,000, according to House Bill 573.
Both bills advanced out of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week and are scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on March 12.
House passes bill creating new state natural areas
The House of Representatives this week unanimously passed legislation creating four new state natural areas and expanding six existing ones.
House Bill 126, sponsored by State Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, creates the following state natural areas:
- Clifty Creek Gorge in Morgan County, an 89-acre forested area that features a scenic gorge and protects the federally threatened Virginia spiraea.
- Rocky Hill Road Glades in Rutherford County, home to limestone cedar glade habitat and the state-endangered running glade clover.
- Union Grove in Hamblen County, a 59-acre area with oak and mixed forests, headwater streams and the state-endangered Tennessee trillium, a species discovered in 2013.
- Versailles Knob in Rutherford County, a 40-acre forest with large limestone outcrops that provides habitat for the federally endangered Braun’s Rockcress.
The bill also expands six existing natural areas: Barnett’s Woods and Prairie, Cedars of Lebanon, Couchville Cedar Glade, Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens, Ozone Falls and Radnor Lake.
“House Bill 126 provides critical protections for Tennessee’s most treasured landscapes by restricting development in these areas and giving the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) the authority to enforce penalties for damage or vandalism,” Vital said. “This legislation helps mitigate the risk of native species being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act by ensuring the long-term protection of their habitats.”
Since the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Tennessee has designated 84 state natural areas to safeguard the state’s most valuable ecosystems. However, state-owned lands managed by TDEC’s Division of Natural Areas that are not designated under the statute currently lack these protections. This legislation closes this gap by updating the law to reflect the lands comprising the State Natural Areas System, ensuring proper protection for future generations.
All acquisitions were from willing sellers with no eminent domain involved. The companion version of House Bill 126 will be heard in the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in the coming weeks.
Briefly…
Veteran benefits: A Republican proposal to enhance benefits to veterans advanced out of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee this week. House Bill 328, sponsored by State Rep. William Slater, R-Gallatin, will expand Tennessee state park discounts to honorably discharged veterans who are residents of Tennessee to be equal to discounts offered to state employees. House Bill 328 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on March 11.
Century farms: The House of Representatives on March 3 passed legislation recognizing historic family farms in Tennessee. House Bill 901, sponsored by State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, will create the Tennessee Century Farms Program within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to honor family farms owned by Tennesseans that are at least 10 acres, generate at least $1,000 in revenue per year, and have remained in the founder’s family continuously for at least 100 years. The Century Farms Program was first established in 1975 and has certified nearly 2,100 family farms. The companion version of House Bill 901 is scheduled to be considered in the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on March 12.
Human trafficking awareness: Legislation adding human trafficking awareness training to Tennessee tattoo artist licensing requirements was unanimously approved by the General Assembly this week. The Ink of Hope Act, sponsored by State Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, requires tattoo artists to watch a short training video on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking before they are able to obtain or renew their license. Tennessee is the first state in the nation to formalize a training program like this for tattoo artists. Once signed into law, tattoo artists will be responsible for completing the training beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
State brass band: A proposal to designate the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass Band as the official brass band of Tennessee advanced out of the House Naming and Designating Committee this week. House Bill 1094, filed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and guided in the House by State Rep. Ed Butler, R-Rickman, recognizes Tennessee’s rich music history and the band’s exceptional representation of the Volunteer State on the national stage. The Southern Stars Symphonic Brass Band is based in the Crossville area and is made up of 30 musicians from across the state. House Bill 1094 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House State and Local Government Committee on March 12.
Artificial intelligence: Students in Tennessee will soon receive training on how to responsibly use artificial intelligence (AI) if a proposal is approved by the General Assembly. House Bill 531, sponsored by State Rep. Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville, will require school districts to provide age-appropriate education on AI beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The instruction would teach students how to use and critically evaluate AI tools and include basic concepts, practical applications and other relevant information. The legislation directs the Tennessee Department of Education to provide a professional development program for teachers to efficiently implement the instruction in the classroom. House Bill 531 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Education Committee on March 11.
Personalized treatment access: The General Assembly this week approved legislation to allow Tennessee doctors to offer personalized treatments for patients with terminal illnesses. The Individualized Investigational Treatment Act, sponsored by State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, expands the Right to Try Act enacted by the General Assembly in 2015. This bill will allow terminal patients to try treatments like gene therapies and custom-made vaccines that target specific cancer cells. Tennessee joins several states that have enacted similar legislation. The bill now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
Encouraging free speech: The House of Representatives on Monday passed a resolution encouraging all colleges and universities in Tennessee to remain committed to offering a campus environment that encourages institutional neutrality and seeks to advance free speech principles. House Joint Resolution 175 by Assistant Majority Leader Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, commends Tennessee colleges and universities that have adopted these values.
Bible courses in charter schools: A bill allowing public charter schools to offer a state-funded, nonsectarian Bible course advanced Tuesday after receiving a recommendation from the House Education Instruction Subcommittee. Sponsored by State Rep. Sabi Kumar, R-Springfield, House Bill 1197 would require charter schools to post their Bible course curricula and materials online. The bill updates the approval process and notification requirements. Currently, state-funded, nonsectarian Bible courses are allowed in public schools but not in public charter schools. House Bill 1197 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Education Committee on March 11.
Anti-choking devices: A bill sponsored by State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, to help Tennessee schools obtain anti-choking devices advanced in the House of Representatives this week. House Bill 1084 requires the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) to establish a grant program to help cover the costs of the life-saving devices for schools and medical first responders beginning July 1, 2025. The legislation would require the department to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing available funds, the number of applicants and the amount awarded. House Bill 1084 is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Health Committee on March 11.
Constitutional safeguards: State Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, has introduced a bill that will strengthen constitutional safeguards related to the governor’s use of emergency powers. House Bill 324 prohibits executive orders, proclamations, or rules declared under the governor’s emergency powers from overriding, suspending or conflicting with the Tennessee State Constitution. Additionally, it limits the governor’s ability to suspend laws, orders, rules, or regulations during an emergency to a 45-day period. House Bill 324 is scheduled to be heard by the House State and Local Committee on March 12.