Tennessee Budget & Taxes Bills

AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, in the administration, operation, and maintenance of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the various departments, institutions, offices, and agencies of the state; for certain state aid and obligations; for capital outlay, for the service of the public debt, for emergency and contingency; to repeal certain appropriations and any acts inconsistent herewith; to provide provisional continuing appropriations; and to establish certain provisions, limitations, and restrictions under which appropriations may be obligated and expended. This act makes appropriations for the purposes described above for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026.

AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026, in the administration, operation, and maintenance of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the various departments, institutions, offices, and agencies of the state; for certain state aid and obligations; for capital outlay, for the service of the public debt, for emergency and contingency; to repeal certain appropriations and any acts inconsistent herewith; to provide provisional continuing appropriations; and to establish certain provisions, limitations, and restrictions under which appropriations may be obligated and expended. This act makes appropriations for the purposes described above for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026.

Victims' Rights - As introduced, increases the victims assistance assessment from $45 to $125, with the first $15 allocated to the court clerk and the remainder directed to county-designated victim assistance programs. - Amends TCA Section 40-24-109.

Taxes, Real Property - As enacted, authorizes, until June 30, 2041, a county or municipality that levies a property tax to pay a property tax refund owed to a taxpayer through annual installments applied as credits against the taxpayer's future property taxes if certain criteria are met. - Amends TCA Title 67.

Taxes - As enacted, adds to the definition of a "qualified public use facility" as used in the Local Tourism Development Zone Business Tax Act a mixed-use development containing a performance venue with a seating capacity of at least 2,500; authorizes a municipality or public authority that has financed a qualified public use facility within a tourism development zone and that qualifies for an allocation of sales tax revenue from within that zone under the Convention Center and Tourism Develo...

Appropriations - As introduced, makes appropriations for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. -

Taxes - As enacted, adds to the definition of a "qualified public use facility" as used in the Local Tourism Development Zone Business Tax Act a mixed-use development containing a performance venue with a seating capacity of at least 2,500; authorizes a municipality or public authority that has financed a qualified public use facility within a tourism development zone and that qualifies for an allocation of sales tax revenue from within that zone under the Convention Center and Tourism Develo...

Children - As enacted, establishes the children's digital protection fund within the state treasury. - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2.

Bond Issues - As enacted, authorizes the state to issue and sell bonds. -

Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, extends from 30 to 45 days, the period within which the commissioner of economic and community development and the comptroller must make a written determination approving or declining an allocation of tax increment revenues for a period longer than 20 years in the case of an economic impact plan, or 30 years in the case of a redevelopment plan or community redevelopment plan. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9 and Titl...

Stanton - Subject to local approval, revises the general powers of the town; revises provisions related to the town judge. - Amends Chapter 142 of the Private Acts of 1990.

County Government - As enacted, authorizes a county legislative body operating under the County Purchasing Law of 1957 to set the compensation for the director of accounts and budgets. - Amends TCA Title 5 and Title 8.

Taxes, Real Property - As enacted, provides that a collecting official or the division of property assessments is not required to request documentation verifying the income of an elderly person seeking tax relief if the applicant is at least 80 years old and meets certain other requirements. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 5, Part 7.

Tourism - As introduced, changes, from 90 days after the end of a fiscal year to 60 days after the end of a fiscal year, the deadline for each city levying a tax upon the privilege of occupancy under general law to file a report with the department of tourist development detailing the amount spent by the municipality and how those expenditures have been designated and used for tourism and tourism development. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 67.

Fire Prevention and Investigation - As enacted, requires the commissioner of commerce and insurance to fulfill certain duties for the volunteer firefighter vehicle grant program, which is established to annually provide grants to select volunteer fire departments to assist with local match requirements for federal grants to purchase vehicles. - Amends TCA Title 68.

Lottery, Corporation - As enacted, vacates and reconstitutes the board of directors of the Tennessee education lottery corporation; requires certain information maintained by the corporation to be subject to a public records request; terminates the lottery corporation on June 30, 2030. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 10 and Title 49.

Taxes - As enacted, provides that an application for an exemption from property taxation for property owned by a religious, charitable, scientific, or nonprofit educational organization that is filed within 180 days after the exempt use of the property began will be effective as of the date the exempt use began, if the application is made after May 20th of the year for which the exemption is sought, but prior to the end of the year; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 67.

Victims' Rights - As introduced, increases the victims assistance assessment from $45 to $125, with the first $15 allocated to the court clerk and the remainder directed to county-designated victim assistance programs. - Amends TCA Section 40-24-109.

Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As enacted, requires retirement credit established for a period of disability for a commissioned member of the department of safety or agent of the Tennessee bureau of investigation to be at no cost to that member; authorizes political subdivisions that pass a resolution to establish retirement credit for its employees to allow the credit for a period of disability for any member who is subject to mandatory retirements to be at no cost to such person. - Amen...

Tullahoma - Subject to local approval, allocates 3.8 percent of each annual operating budget, but not less than $1.5 million, to the maintenance of streets and roads within the city limits of the City of Tullahoma. - Amends Chapter 553 of the Acts of 1903.