Legislative Update April 2, 2021
Community Impact, Nonprofit Leadership
March 31, 2021
The information below provides current updates on legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly that may impact local nonprofits. For more information on the bills below, visit the Tennessee General Assembly website. To find your legislator, visit this page and type in your address.
Education
SB230/HB16 Teacher’s Discipline Act
Broadens authority of classroom teachers to enforce the student disciplinary policy or code of conduct and to request removal of a student from the classroom in certain situations. Only teachers who are trained in evidence-based behavior supports are authorized to manage the teacher’s classroom, discipline students, refer a student to the principal, and hold students accountable for any disorderly conduct in school.
Status: Has passed both Senate and House.
SB677/HB598 Creates the Tennessee child care task force
Task force is to recommend a strategic action plan to address challenges of quality, affordability and accessibility.
Status: Seems to be in a reasonably good position to pass.
Health and Public Benefits
SB102/HB119 Creates Silver Alert program
Requires the TBI to implement a program to assist in locating missing and vulnerable citizens.
Status: Has passed Senate Judiciary and is working its way through other committees. Expected to pass.
SB751/HB142 Relates to DHS bill dealing with funding and not accumulating surplus reserves.
Deals with concepts and programs including community grants, opportunity pilot programs, increasing monthly grants and lifetime benefits. Governor’s bill.
Status: Expected to pass.
Nonprofit (bills primarily impacting nonprofits and charitable organizations)
SB426/HB820 Funds collected by the department of state
Specifies how funds from charitable organizations will be used.
Status: Expected to pass.
SB664/HB720 Authorizes a nonprofit organization to conduct a bingo game as its annual event
Status: Might pass but not sure how this interacts with constitutional provision prohibiting bingo.
Racial and Social Justice
SB600/HB1227 Vacates and reconstitutes the Tennessee historical commission
Vacates current membership of TN Historical Commission. Motivated by Commission’s vote to recommend removal of Nathan Bedford Forrest statue from the Capitol to the State Museum. Gov. Lee seems to support the Commission position.
Status: Passed Senate committee but won’t pass House.
SB1101/HB1460 Age-appropriate instruction to public school students on Black history and culture
Requires for students in grades 5-8 on Black history and culture.
Status: Has a good shot at passing.