New laws and revisions to current laws will go in to effect in Tennessee beginning January 1.
According to Tennessee public chapters, School Transportation reduces the age required from 25 to 23 for a person to receive an initial school bus endorsement if the person is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed forces, a member of the National Guard or reserves, or a licensed teacher employed by an LEA.
Dates for assessors changed from October 1 of each year to April 15 of each year, by which assessors in counties, other than counties with a metropolitan form of government, must file that year’s property maps with the register of deeds.
Continuing education requirements for residential contractors were established.
For state employees, continued health coverage is extended to the surviving spouses and children of park rangers who are killed in the line of duty to the same extent as survivors of other first responders who are killed in the line of duty.
The Proton Therapy Access act was passed requiring state health insurance plans to allow the use of proton radiation therapy to treat cancer patients.
Electrical inspectors employed by municipality, a county, or the state is required to be certified by the state fire marshal. A recertification process is established for such electrical inspectors every three years and requires certain electrical inspectors under contract with the commissioner of commerce and insurance to be certified on and after January 1.
Consumer Protection requires travel promoters to use trust accounts to avoid commingling their funds with customers’ funds that are held for disbursement for payment of travel services.
Revisions were made to provisions governing determination of whether an employer-employee relationship exists in certain employment arrangements.
The Healthcare Billing Clarity Act clears up any confusion patients may have from hospital billing. Billing procedures will show the patient clearly what is billed from the hospital or physicians.
Police officers and firefighters who are members of the state retirement system will be eligible for service retirement upon completion of 25 years of creditable service.
Tennessee Right to Shop Act allows easier access for patients to lower their medical bills with price comparisons in medical imaging, infusion therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
The definition of agricultural land for purposes of greenbelt property tax program expands to include two noncontiguous tracts of land within the same county totaling at least 15 acres and split only by a road, body of water, or public or private easement.
The Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019 revised safeguard and procedures to protect seniors from sexual exploitation. Revisions also define neglect to include failure to protect a senior from such abuse and for those convicted of crimes against seniors to be placed on a registry by the Tennessee Department of Health.
Requirements were changed for the operation of horse drawn vehicles on state highways.
A concealed handgun carry permit allowing a person to carry a concealed handgun and the existing handgun carry permit is redesignated as an enhanced handgun carry permit.
The enhanced handgun carry permit requires a $100 application fee or $65 fee for active or honorably discharged military, and allows open or concealed carry.
The concealed handgun carry permit has a $65 fee along with any other fees associated with training. Anyone who is active or honorably discharged military, a previous permit carrier who hasn’t been suspended or revoked or active law enforcement can receive the concealed handgun carry handgun permit at anytime. All others applying for the permit but submit proof of competing hunter education or safety course approved by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, firearms safety or training course from a specializing organization, law enforcement agency, junior college, college, private or public institution or organizations firearms training school or firearms training and safety course in the form of electronic, video or online course. Proof of completion must be submitted with the application.
This type of permit also requires the weapon be concealed at all times and may not be carried at any school or university. A background check will be run every five years.
In the Professions and Occupations laws, certain persons who receive certified occupational training as a prisoner or student in a high school technical training class will receive equivalent credit toward an occupational license relating to the training received.
A program managed by the commissioner of commerce and insurance will annually award grants to volunteer fire departments for the purchase of firefighting equipment or to meet local match requirements for federal grants for the purchase of firefighting equipment and training.
Additionally, the United States age for tobacco sales was raised from 18 to 21 years old.
Other information can be found at https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1865/text
