New Laws To Know in 2024

On Thursday, the 113th General Assembly of the Tennessee Legislature drew to a close. It was a tumultuous session marked by Tennessee teachers being allowed to enter the classroom armed, AI protection in the music industry, additional abortion legislation, and the school voucher bill failing. Included was the passage of Governor Lee’s $52.8 billion budget.

In this session, Governor Lee and the Republican majority of the General Assembly had many high-profile bills. What seemed to be one on the Governor’s agenda was the school choice voucher bill, while the bill was not approved by the State House, it will become a “zombie bill” and arise from the dead expectantly in the next session.

Armed Teachers Bill: Select Tennessee school faculty or staff can carry a concealed handgun on the grounds of the school they work at, including inside classrooms, without notifying parents. Teachers wishing to carry firearms on school property must obtain a valid handgun carry permit, undergo fingerprinting and background check, receive a psychiatric certification, and complete 40 hours of training in school policing. They must also receive permission from the school district, the school principal, and local law enforcement.

AI Protections for Musicians: Lawmakers approved the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, which creates voice protections against deepfakes and unauthorized uses of artists’ voices and likenesses. A host of celebrity musicians and songwriters testified in committee and joined Lee at bill announcements and signings – including CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, singer and actress Chrissy Metz, songwriter and producer Jamie Moore, and country star Luke Bryan.

Banned ‘chem Trails’: The law bans the intentional release of chemicals into the air, a widely debunked conspiracy theory that the federal government is spreading chemicals for nefarious reasons.

Centralized Case Reporting System: Lawmakers approved a measure to require the state to establish a centralized court reporting system, which will in part enable background checks for firearms sales to accurately reflect current case dispositions and keep guns out of the hands of people who are not lawfully allowed to have them.

Jillian’s Law: In a bill named for slain Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig, lawmakers passed a bill to block criminal defendants who are deemed mentally incompetent and unable to stand trial from legally buying or possessing a gun, and require them to be committed to a facility for mental health treatment.

Death Penalty For Child Rapists: Lawmakers voted to allow the death penalty for defendants convicted of raping a child under 12 — to challenge a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Senate Bill 1834 would allow capital punishment for adults convicted of raping a child, with certain aggravating factors.

Penalties for Helping Minors with Abortions without Parental Consent: Adults who assist minors seeking an abortion or abortion pills could face jail time if they don’t first get written, notarized permission from the child’s parent.

Reformed Certificate of Need Requirements: Current law requires state approval before providers can build or expand healthcare facilities and services. Lawmakers approved a measure to phase out a certificate of need permit requirements for new healthcare facilities to open in counties that do not already have hospitals, in an effort to increase access to emergency care.

Child Autopsies Closed to Public Review without Parental Consent: Lawmakers passed legislation requiring autopsies of children killed in violent crimes will not be open to public records requests without parental consent, unless the parent has been named a suspect in the child’s death. Autopsy records must be reviewed in person, and no photographs or reproductions can be made.

Required School-Based Gun Safety Training: Lawmakers approved a bill to require public schools in Tennessee to teach children age-appropriate, politically neutral firearms safety concepts as early as pre-kindergarten. School children will be taught concepts such as “how to avoid injury if a student finds a firearm,” “never to touch a found firearm,” and safety relating to firearms beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

Required Age Verification and Parental Consent for Social Media Sites: Lawmakers approved the Protecting Children from Social Media Act to require parental consent and age verification before children are allowed to create social media accounts. Similar laws in other states have faced legal challenges.

Required Students to View Political Fetal Development Video: School children in most Tennessee counties will be required to view a three-minute animated video depicting fetal development, such as one produced by anti-abortion political action group Live Action, regardless of parental consent, beginning in the 2024-25 school year.

Increased K-12 Funding By $261M: Lawmakers included a $261 million increase for the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement funding structure for K-12 education. The funding increase will continue working toward a minimum starting salary of $50,000 for Tennessee teachers by 2026.

$15M for Charter School Facilities: The budget also included $15 million for public charter schools to acquire facilities. Separate legislation would give charter schools first right of refusal to lease or purchase vacant and underutilized public school facilities, a measure criticized by opponents as a “land grab.”

Opened Liability for Out-Of-State Travel with Minors for Transgender Therapies: Lawmakers passed a bill to designate civil liability for adults who “intentionally recruit, harbor, or transport” unemancipated children for the purposes of receiving transgender-affirming medical treatments, therapies, and procedures already outlawed in Tennessee without consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Extended Sexual Assault Suit Statute of Limitations: Lawmakers approved a measure to extend the statute of limitations from one year to three for victims of rape, sexual assault, and sexual battery to bring lawsuits.

A Historic Bible is an Official State Book: The Aitken Bible – the first edition of the Bible printed in the United States during the Revolutionary War – is an official state book, along with nine other works including George Washington’s “Farewell Address” and Alex Haley’s “Roots.”

Tightened Immigration Reporting: Local law enforcement is required to report individuals’ immigration status to federal enforcement authorities passed and was signed into law, despite opposition from immigrant rights groups.

Expanded Secrecy for Tourism Records: Lawmakers approved a bill to keep certain records at the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development secret if the agency’s commissioner and attorney general deem them “sensitive.”

Required Distinct Emergency Alarms In Schools: Lee signed into law a measure to require all schools in the state to create a new fire alarm policy – an effort backed by parents from The Covenant School following the deadly shooting there last year. The new law requires all schools to develop emergency procedures to determine the cause of an activated fire alarm.

Information sourced and cited courtesy: Vivian Jones/The Tennessean