KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — After a busy legislative 2021 for the 112th Tennessee General Assembly that included multiple special legislative sessions, dozens of new laws will take effect in the Volunteer State on Jan. 1, 2022.

The new laws impact many areas of state and local government. New laws include election security safeguards, student discipline, wine sales and compensating college athletes for their name image and likeness.

Below are some of the new laws and a link to all the new laws.

Click Here For Full List

HB0016 Teacher’s Discipline Act

Establishes a process for local school districts to enable a teacher to remove a student who causes repeated disruptions.  Once the disruptive student is disciplined, principals can use their discretion to send them back into the classroom or permanently remove the child.

HB0100 Elder Abuse / Conservators

Requires a petition for the appointment of a conservator to include a search of the Department of Health’s registry of persons who have abused, neglected, or misappropriated the property of vulnerable persons. It also requires a search of the National Sex Offender Registry.

HB0188 Professions and Occupations

Allows military veterans who are honorably discharged to be given credit for active duty training and coursework which is applicable towards occupational licensure. It amends a law passed by lawmakers in the 111th General Assembly that allowed high school students and inmates to receive full credit for coursework or training completed toward an occupational licensure, registration or certification.

HB0240  Reducing recidivism

Authorizes Tennessee’s community colleges and colleges of applied technology to contract and partner with local governments for the purpose of providing educational and workforce development programs to assist with reducing recidivism rates of criminal offenders held in local correctional facilities and improving opportunities for successful reentry upon release from incarceration.

HB0386 – Workers Compensation

As enacted, transfers administration of construction service provider registration from the secretary of state to the bureau of workers’ compensation

HB0419 – Increase State Expenditures

This new law adds chiropractic services performed by a person authorized to engage in the practice of chiropractic to the list of healthcare services that may be included as covered TennCare medical assistance.

HB0742 Other Fiscal Impact

New law passed this year allows consumers to have wine shipped to them. It creates a license for wine fulfillment houses with a $300 application fee, $300 annual renewal fee and a $50 annual fee for each additional location and keeps out-of-state vendors from violating Tennessee’s existing state laws by not paying appropriate state taxes.

HB0752 Dual Enrollment Grants

Legislation passed by the General Assembly this year increases the number of dual enrollment courses to help high school students earn college credits paid for by the state from two to four. 

HB0785 – Reentry Success Act of 2021

A multi-pronged approach to help improve public safety and facilitate positive outcomes for those leaving incarceration by establishing mandatory supervision so all individuals exiting state custody will have a minimum of one-year supervised reentry integration, waiving the restricted driver license fee, removing the Parole Board’s ability to deny parole to a person who has not attempted to improve their education or vocational skills due to long wait lists for these programs and granting limited employer liability to businesses which in good faith hire a parolee convicted of a non-violent criminal offense.

HB0870 Victims’ Rights

Outlines an order of priority for funds paid into court for any criminal case with priority to ensure the victim of a crime is paid restitution first. The measure also extends the amount of time a victim has to apply for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund from one to two years.

HB1178 Election Laws

Prohibits the coordinator of elections from approving convenient voting centers for any county election commission that has not used at least one early satellite voting location throughout an early voting period in the most recent regular November election, Extends authorization for counties that have an approved convenience voting pilot project plan to establish convenient voting centers within the county for federal, state, and local elections held in 2022. Present law only provided such authorization through 2020.

HB1351 – Sports

Authorizes an intercollegiate athlete at a four-year public or private institution of higher education located in this state, other than an institution of higher education governed by the board of regents of the state university and community college system, to earn compensation for the use of the athlete’s name, image, or likeness under certain conditions

HB1186 – Trusts

This bill revises various provisions governing trusts