New Laws in Tennessee January 2021

Senate Bill 0110: Enacts the “Precious Goods Act, 2021,” which establishes procedures for certain citizens with intellectual or developmental disabilities or medical conditions to communicate their special needs to law enforcement and first responders. (Senate Bill 7002 / Johnson, Kelsey, Haile, Powers, Reeves, Rose / Public Chapter 1 Sections 1, 2 and 3 effective February 3, 2021, Division 2 Resources and Promotion to Class 3, determined by dominance in the ELA effective July 1, 2021) (Senate Bill 675 / Haile, Akbari, Campbell, Gilmore, Yarbro / Public Chapter 539 effective July 1, 2021) (Senate Bill 707 / Walley, Gilmore, Campbell, Yarbro / Public Chapter 494 came into force July 1, 2021) (Senate Bill 768/Johnson, Yager, Bowling, Akbari, Bailey, Gilmore, Haile, Jackson, Reeves/Public Chapter 410 Sections 2 and 4 come into force on January 1, 2022, and sections 5 to 8 will come into force on January 1, 2022. July 2021, sections 9 to 15 will come into force on July 1, 2021. Section 17 came into force on May 11, 2021, section 18 came into force on May 11, 2021 for the purposes of enactment, but comes into force for other purposes on October 1, 2021) Second Amendment Rights / Harsher Penalties for Gun Stealing – The General Assembly passed legislation during the 2021 legislature that allows Tennessee residents to: exercise their constitutional right to carry firearms without authorization. while taking action against criminals who steal weapons or possess them illegally. The new law allows law-abiding Tennessee citizens who are at least 21 years of age or honorably released or active in the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserve to carry a firearm without authorization in a place where they are legally located. Firearms Safety – Legislation providing incentives for the safe storage of firearms was passed prior to the adjournment of the 2021 session. The new law exempts VAT on security devices and safes for firearms for one year from 1 July 2021.

The purpose of the bill is to encourage gun owners to create a safer environment for children and hopefully prevent heartbreaking tragedies that could occur if a firearm is improperly stored. Tennessee National Guard Re-Employment Protection Act – The Tennessee National Guard Protection Act to protect civilian re-employment rights for members of the Tennessee National Guard after the state ends on active duty was passed during the 2021 session. This gives National Guard members returning from active government duty the same right to reinstatement accorded to military personnel called up for federal active duty and protects them from workplace discrimination based on their military service. House Bill 0742: A new law that allows consumers to have wine delivered. It creates a license for wine processing homes with a $300 registration fee, a $300 annual renewal fee, and a $50 annual fee for each additional location, and prevents out-of-state sellers from violating existing Tennessee state laws by not paying reasonable state taxes. Named after Joker, a K-9 from the Bradley County Sheriff`s Office who was seriously shot during a 2021 pursuit, the law toughens penalties for knowingly killing or seriously injuring police dogs, firefighters, search and rescue dogs, service dogs or police horses in Tennessee. Offenders are now charged with a Class B crime, and offenders between the ages of 14 and 17 could be charged as adults. TANF – Major laws were unanimously passed by the General Assembly in 2021 to strengthen and improve the government`s Temporary Assistance to Families in Need (TANF) program. The funds, which come from a federal block grant, provide vital support to struggling families, such as child care assistance, temporary cash assistance, transportation, job training, employment activities and other support services offered through the state`s Families First program. Under the Reentry Success Act 2021, grants for local jails will be awarded to facilities that design and implement strategies that improve the chances of successful integration into the community after release from prison and empirically demonstrate their effectiveness. The Evidence-Based Offender Programs project provides $5 million for programs that have a proven track record of reducing recidivism rates and improving local collaboration to improve outcomes for sentenced offenders upon release. Farmers and Tractors Lemon Act – Another measure to support farmers passed during the 2021 legislature enacts a lemon tractor law.

It requires manufacturers to replace or refund the full purchase price of farm machinery in certain circumstances. The manufacturer must bear all repair costs that are not due to normal wear and tear during the use of the machine. It also allows consumers to bring a civil action against the producer if it is brought within two years of notification of the defect. The General Assembly passed the original STRONG Act in 2017. This scheme provided for the reimbursement to an educational institution of 100% of the maximum tuition fees for residents of the State. That`s a huge advantage, but the change to the STRONG Act in 2021 made it even better. It provides eligible members with tuition reimbursement of up to 120 hours for a bachelor`s degree, 40 hours for a master`s degree and 24 hours for a vocational or technical program.