The Senate Education Committee concluded its business last week, with four of five Senate standing committees now closed. The Senate body was hard at work advancing legislation to improve school safety, protect Second Amendment rights, and empower parents.
This week, lawmakers will discuss finalizing the budget as the governor’s supplemental amendment is presented to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
Treatment Facilities for criminal defendants deemed incompetent
Senate Bill 1769 would require criminal defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial to be committed to an appropriate treatment facility. Current state law does not require this. The legislation would also require these individuals to be entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act passes Senate
Legislation passed the Senate floor this week to protect financial transaction data associated with firearm and ammunition purchases from being used to conduct mass surveillance of law-abiding Tennesseans.
Senate Bill 2223, also known as the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, would prohibit financial institutions like banks and credit card companies from requiring a specific merchant category code (MCC) to identify transactions at firearms retailers in the state.
Alleged violations of the law would be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and could result in a civil penalty of up to $10,000. If approved, Tennessee would join a handful of other states like Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, and Texas that have already passed similar legislation.
Cassie Wright Act – Senate Bill 2482 clarifies in law that parents have the right to access their minor’s prescription records even if given without the parent’s consent. It also clarifies that a physician’s duty to report includes reporting to a minor’s parent if there is an apparent ability and likelihood to commit suicide. The bill advances to the Senate floor for final approval.
Empowering parents with school materials – Senate Bill 1858 authorizes parents to file a civil action against their local education agency to enforce the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022.
The Age Appropriate Materials Act requires public school libraries to post online a list of materials in library collections and to create a review framework to ensure age-appropriateness. 181 books were challenged statewide between January and August 31, 2023.
School de-escalation training – The Senate Education Committee advanced school safety legislation to require de-escalation training for teachers and administrators in Tennessee. Senate Bill 1721 would ensure school personnel receive the training annually beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.
Increasing availability of SROs – 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.
Senate Bill 2901 would allow a retired law enforcement officer who is a member of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) or local retirement fund to be reemployed as a full-time SRO at a Tennessee public school without loss or suspension of the officer’s retirement benefits. This legislation passed out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee last week and now moves to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
Increasing availability of middle school CTE courses – In an effort to provide more students with access to career development, Senate Bill 2764 would allow Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to expand CTE class size in grades 6-8 to an average of 30 and a maximum of 35 students. This legislation passed out of the Senate last week and awaits final approval in the House of Representatives.
Steve Southerland serves the constituents of State Senate District 09 which includes the following counties: Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Sevier, and Unicoi. He chairs the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee and is a member of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, the Joint Fiscal Review Committee, and the Senate Ethics Committee.
