Tennessee farmland preservation legislation advances
Seeks to protect Tennessee farms and agricultural heritage for generations to come
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Legislation to protect Tennessee farmland from development advanced out of the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee this week.
Senate Bill 207, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager (R-Kingston), would establish a $25 million Farmland Preservation Fund to provide grants for property owners who voluntarily place their farm or forestry land into an agricultural easement with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The program aims to make farmland preservation financially feasible for family farms, ensuring they remain in agricultural use for future generations.
“This bill is designed to support Tennessee’s hardworking farmers,” said Sen. Johnson. “For many, their land has been in the family for generations, and they want to ensure it remains farmland—not a strip mall or subdivision. However, financial barriers often make preservation difficult. By providing access to the governor’s proposed grant fund, we can give farm families the resources they need to keep their land in agriculture and in the family, making conservation a realistic and economically viable option.”
While property owners can already place their land in a conservation easement through various entities, rising land prices provide little incentive to do so. The Farmland Preservation Fund aims to provide this incentive, making it more financially viable for Tennessee farmers to preserve their land.
“Agriculture is the number one industry in our state,” said Yager. “Preserving farmland is critical not only for our economy but also for the traditions and values of the farming culture that define Tennessee.”
Participation in the program is entirely voluntary, allowing property owners to receive compensation for the difference between their land’s agricultural value and its highest market value. Farmers who take part in the program would still maintain the freedom to develop their land for agricultural purposes and maintain full farming operations without restrictions on output.
Tennessee is losing farmland to development at an astounding rate. Over a 20 year period, from 1997 to 2017, Tennessee lost 1.1 million acres of farmland to development. Since 2017, another 432,941 acres of farmland has been lost. This is equivalent to Tennessee losing 9.8 acres of farmland per hour, up from 6.3 acres per hour in the previous two decades.
In Tennessee, agriculture-related industries employ 324,000 individuals and contribute $89 billion into the economy.
Department of Economic and Community Development highlights wins, addresses nuclear energy development
On Tuesday, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD), led by Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, delivered its budget presentation to the Commerce and Insurance Committee, highlighting economic success and addressing future energy needs.
In 2024 alone, ECD helped land 67 projects, 9,600 new jobs commitments and $7.2 billion in capital investments, with 79% of investments in rural Tennessee. Through rural economic development efforts, Tennessee has seen a significant drop in distressed counties, declining from 15 in 2019 to just 9 today.
The proposed ECD budget includes a combined $60 million for Nuclear Industry Initiative Grants and the Small Modular Reactor Grant Fund. These investments aim to advance the state’s energy supply and support industry development, ensuring the state remains competitive in advanced manufacturing.
Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) emphasized the growing importance of energy investment to fuel Tennessee’s continued economic growth.
“For years, economic development has focused on a well-trained workforce,” said Watson. “While that remains crucial, a new challenge is emerging – ensuring we have the energy supply needed to power advanced manufacturing facilities.”
The Department also highlighted Tennessee’s latest accolades for its economic development efforts. Tennessee has been named:
#1 in Energy Availability and Costs from Area Development
#1 in Overall Cost of Doing Business from Area Development
#1 in Cooperative and Responsive State/Local Government from Area Development
#3 Best States for Business from Chief Executive
#3 Best States for Doing Business from Area Development
#4 in Water Availability from Area Development
#5 in Best Business Climate from Business Facilities
The ECD budget proposal moves to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for further consideration.
In Brief…
Protecting the state from fraudulent business and foreign adversaries – The State and Local Government Committee advanced legislation this week to ensure swift action can be taken against businesses owned or controlled by foreign adversaries. Sponsored by Chairman Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville), Senate Bill 306 grants the Tennessee Secretary of State the authority to dissolve a business if fraudulent activity is detected. In addition, the bill allows the Secretary of State to take action against businesses owned or controlled by foreign governments or foreign individuals who have been designated as foreign adversaries by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Senate Bill 306 now moves to the Senate Floor for further consideration.
Removing World Health Organization from Tennessee law - Legislation advanced in the Senate Health Committee this week to delete all references to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Tennessee code. Senate Bill 669, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), also replaces WHO references with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding pandemic declarations. Under the bill, Tennessee would only recognize a pandemic if declared by the CDC and followed with a state of emergency by the Governor. This move comes after President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization upon taking office. The bill now advances to the Senate floor.
Combating unfair subscription billing - This week, the Senate Commerce Committee advanced Senate Bill 41, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), to protect consumers from unfair subscription charges. The bill prohibits providers from billing an extra cycle when a consumer cancels within the first half of a billing period. Currently, consumers can be charged for both the current and following month, even if they cancel early. This legislation ensures fairer billing practices and prevents unnecessary charges.
AI professional development course for teachers - The Education Committee passed Senate Bill 677, sponsored by Senate Education Chair Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro), which requires 6th-12th grade teachers to take one professional development course regarding Artificial Intelligence. This new course requirement would be integrated into teachers' existing professional development hours, ensuring no additional time is added to their workload. It requires the Department of Education to provide the course at no cost to teachers. This bill now moves to Finance.
Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts - The Senate State and Local Government Committee passed legislation this week which seeks to make improvements to A Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts, which are tax-advantaged savings accounts designed for individuals with disabilities. Currently, these accounts are restricted to covering only educational expenses. Senate Bill 452, sponsored by Senator Massey (R-Knoxville), aims to lift this restriction, allowing account holders to use earnings on the contributions for any qualified disability expense.
The measure also seeks to raise the contribution limit for ABLE accounts to $100,000, allowing families, friends, and others to provide more tax-exempt contributions on behalf of individuals with disabilities.
In addition to expanding the scope of allowable expenses, the bill would align state law with IRS guidelines which will help streamline account management and ensure the accounts remain in compliance with tax laws.
Expanding pilot program of residential facilities for disabled adults - This week, the Senate Health Committee passed Senate Bill 110, Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun), which expands an existing pilot program to Bradley County and East Tennessee. The bill authorizes the creation of residential facilities for disabled adults, where four individuals will be housed per home on a 26-acre integrated community. This residential pilot program, which is set to become permanent on January 1, 2032, aims to provide more independent living options for disabled adults in East Tennessee. Senate Bill 110 passed unanimously in committee and advances to the Senate floor for final consideration by the full Senate.
TDOC proposes major pay increase for correctional officers –The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) presented its $91.5 million budget to the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Tuesday. Among the key highlights of the budget was a proposed allocation of $36.9 million to fund a significant increase in the starting salary for correctional officers. Through this funding, officers would have a starting salary of $51,204 that increases to $60,720 after 18 months.
The proposed salary increase reflects Tennessee’s strong commitment to supporting law enforcement. Additionally, the increase in pay is expected to play an important role in decreasing turnover rates. This will ultimately lead to a more stable and experienced workforce to maintain order and safety in the state’s correctional facilities.
Improving accountability for local government credit ratings - Senator Bobby Harshbarger (R-Kingsport) successfully advanced his first-ever bill through the Senate State and Local Government Committee this week to improve government transparency. Senate Bill 114 requires local governments to report any defaults or credit rating downgrades to the Comptroller of Tennessee. The bill expands the disclosure requirements for both state and local government entities, ensuring that any financial difficulties, such as defaults or credit rating reductions, are promptly communicated to the state’s oversight body. This increased transparency is intended to provide the public and policymakers with better insight into the financial health of local governments, promoting greater accountability and helping to prevent financial mismanagement. Senate Bill 114 passed the State and Local Government Committee 8-0 and now advances to the Senate Floor for a vote by the full Senate.
Reducing costs to local governments on autopsies of inmates – The State and Local Government Committee passed Senate Bill 15, sponsored by Senator Page Walley (R-Savannah), which aims to require the State of Tennessee to assume costs and responsibilities for autopsies of deceased inmates held in state prisons as well as the transportation that is associated with the autopsy. This legislation seeks to ease the financial burden of these costs on rural counties where these prisons are located. It now moves to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.
Naming of public facilities - The Senate State and Local Government Committee passed Senate Bill 0214, sponsored by Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), which prohibits naming public facilities after current local officials or for two years after they leave office. It also bars naming facilities after convicted felons. The legislation aims to ensure that public spaces are named without political influence and reflect individuals with a positive impact on the community. Senate Bill 214 passed the committee with a 9-0 vote and now moves to the Calendar Committee to be scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor.
Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission - Legislation advanced in the Judiciary Committee this week to modify the Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission. Senate Bill 229, sponsored by Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), seeks to clarify that the Medical Cannabis Commission is empowered to make policy recommendations in the event of changes to federal law. Additionally, the legislation reconstitutes the Governor’s appointments to the commission by expanding eligibility to patient caregivers and subject matter experts. The bill also specifies that the commission’s recommendations to the General Assembly may include policy suggestions.
Expanding judicial access to juvenile records for bail determinations - To give judges a more comprehensive view of a defendant’s criminal history when setting bail, the Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 0221, sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis). The legislation seeks to allow courts and judges to review and consider juvenile court records from the past five years to assess a defendant’s risk of danger to the community. Senate Bill 221 now moves to the Senate Floor for further consideration.
Increasing penalties for aggravated sexual battery – On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 678, sponsored by Senator Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro), to increase the penalty for aggravated sexual battery from a Class B felony to a Class A felony if the victim was younger than 18 years old. This bill also would apply to victims who are mentally defective, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless. This bill passed the Judiciary Committee with a 7-2 vote and moved to the Senate Floor for consideration of passage.
Law Enforcement’s Safer Tennessee Electronic Registration (LESTER) Act – Legislation sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), will ensure drivers can present digital copies of vehicle registration as proof of registration during a traffic stop. The LESTER Act requires law enforcement officers to accept electronic registration documents, aligning the law with existing regulations that already allow digital proof of auto insurance.
This change will also prevent car thieves from getting the home addresses of their crime victims from auto registrations typically kept in glove compartments of cars. It will ensure Tennesseans will be safe at home following a car theft.
Senate Bill 228 passed the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee this week and now advances to the Senate floor for final consideration.
Wholesale Property Disclosures - The Commerce and Labor Committee moved Senate Bill 909, which promotes transparency from wholesale buyers, to the floor for a vote. The bill, sponsored by Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), requires a buyer engaged in wholesaling real property to disclose information to the seller and subsequent purchaser.
Buyers must disclose key details about their equitable interest in a property to future purchasers. This includes informing subsequent buyers that they are not the actual property owner, stating their intent to market their equitable interest before finalizing the contract, and providing notice of any assignment of their interest at least three business days before the agreement takes effect. However, the specific amount the wholesaler earns does not need to be disclosed.
Senate Bill 909 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.
Streamlining death pronouncement process in hospitals - The Senate Health and Welfare Committee unanimously advanced Senate Bill 668, sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis), to improve the process of declaring death in hospitals. The bill allows nurses, in coordination with a physician, to pronounce a patient dead when the death is anticipated, reducing delays caused by requiring physician involvement. By empowering nurses to take on this responsibility, hospitals can operate more efficiently, particularly in busy or under-staffed settings. However, physician oversight remains in place to ensure proper care and accuracy. The bill now advances to the Senate floor for further consideration.
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