Tennessee
5 bills filed in the Tennessee legislature you may not have read yet
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lawmakers will return to the Tennessee state capitol the second week of January after a tumultuous year in the legislature in 2023.
In doing so, some legislators have already filed some of their bills for introduction, getting ahead before the deadline by at least a month.
Here are five bills you may not have seen yet.
Free public college tuition for children of disabled veterans
HB 1604 and SB 1576
Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, proposed a bill that would allow the kids of 100% disabled veterans to attend any Tennessee public higher education institution. Sen. Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City, is sponsoring the bill in the Senate.
Veterans would have had to have gotten the disability from a service-related injury during a qualifying period of armed conflict, according to the bill’s language. The child attending school would also have to be under 23, and the student would have access to a waiver of tuition, maintenance fees and student activity fees.
If passed the program could start as early as the 2024-2025 school year.
A fiscal note for this bill has yet to be calculated.
How you vote in primaries could change
HB 1616
This isn’t the first time the legislature has tried to make voters declare a political party before the primary, but the wording of this legislation is certainly different.
Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, is proposing voters can choose a party or remain unaffiliated before voting for a party primary. No Senate sponsor has taken up the measure.
Unlike bills about partisan voting in the past, those unaffiliated can still participate in primaries.
The designation would be made in the person’s voter file with their county election commission.
Richey proposed the act take effect as soon as it was signed into law.
No diaper, wipe tax until 2025
HB 1637
Rep. Martin Greg proposed an idea to not tax infant formula, diapers and wipes for a whole year.
The bill outlines the tax-free period would start July 2024 and sunset the last day of June 2025.
Last year, the legislature approved a grocery tax holiday during the fall.
A Senate sponsor has yet to sign on, nor has a fiscal note been calculated.
Evidence collection for kids accused of crimes
HB 1602 and SB 1577
An idea from Rep. Jesse Chism and Sen. London Lamar would enshrine police to take a video or audio recording for any interviews or interrogations including a child.
The Memphis Democrats would add this to an existing state law relative to interrogating juveniles.
A fiscal note concerning the bill indicates the cost wouldn’t be significant.
If passed, the law would go into effect July 1.
Undoing the trigger ban on abortion
HB 1626 and SB 1590
Freshman lawmaker Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, filed her first bill in the legislature that would undo the effects of the trigger ban for Tennessee abortion.
Abortion was dialed up to become a hot-button issue in 2023, but The Covenant School shooting and tensions in the legislature placed the topic on a back burner.
Gov. Bill Lee signed off on an incredibly narrow exception in April, which removed affirmative defense for doctors. Early in the abortion conversation, Lee said the law as written was fine as it was, meaning he wasn’t catering to any idea of exceptions. He’s been quiet on the matter since.
Tennessee’s total abortion ban came last summer after the Dobbs decision caused Roe v. Wade to fall in the Supreme Court of the United States. The Republican legislature prepared for the moment. Trigger laws in Tennessee went into effect in less than 30 days following the Human Life Protection Act voted on by the legislature in 2019.
Sen. London Lamar is co-sponsoring the effort.
Tennessee
Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.
ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”
In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.
The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.
ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.
This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.
Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
Alex Golesh hires former Tennessee analyst as Auburn’s coordinator
Alex Golesh was introduced as Auburn’s head coach on Dec. 1. He served as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach from 2021-22.
Golesh announced the hiring of Jacob Bronowski as Auburn’s special teams coordinator. He served as the Vols’ special teams analyst in 2021 under head coach Josh Heupel. Bronowski was also under Heupel at UCF in 2020 as special teams quality control.
“His track record is outstanding,” Golesh said of Bronowski. “He developed multiple national award contenders, including a Lou Groza Award winner, and has led some of the top special teams units in the country.
“I saw up close when we worked together before that coach Bronowski understands that special teams can be a championship difference-maker, and he’s proven he can develop elite specialists. He brings exactly the attention to detail and relentless work ethic we need in our program.”
Auburn will play at Tennessee on Oct. 3, 2026.
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Tennessee
Tennessee football’s 2026 schedule complete with opponents, dates
Tennessee football will host Lane Kiffin, Alex Golesh and possibly Arch Manning at Neyland Stadium in the 2026 season.
UT’s opponents for the next four seasons were previously announced. On Dec. 11, the SEC released the dates of every conference game, providing the full picture of the 2026 schedule.
Game times and television designations will be announced later.
Texas will make its first trip ever to Tennessee on Sept. 26. Manning, the Longhorns quarterback, is expected to return for the 2026 season rather than enter the NFL draft. If so, he’ll face the Vols on the home turf of his uncle, legendary quarterback Peyton Manning.
Golesh, the former UT offensive coordinator, is Auburn’s new coach. He will return to Knoxville for an Oct. 3 game.
Alabama will play at Tennessee on Oct. 17, continuing their Third Saturday in October rivalry game.
Kiffin, the polarizing former UT coach, is now coaching LSU after bolting Ole Miss after the regular season ended. He will return to Knoxville for a Nov. 21 game. Three of the five SEC teams visiting Neyland Stadium will have a first-year coach, including Kentucky’s Will Stein on Nov. 7.
Tennessee will play Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt as annual SEC opponents in the league’s new nine-game conference schedule. Its other six opponents will rotate each season. That means each school will play every SEC opponent home and away every four years.
Tennessee will have one open week on Oct. 31 and thus won’t play on Halloween.
Here is Tennessee’s week-to-week schedule for the 2026 season.
Tennessee football 2026 schedule
- Sept. 5: Furman
- Sept. 12: At Georgia Tech
- Sept. 19: Kennesaw State
- Sept. 26: Texas*
- Oct. 3: Auburn*
- Oct. 10: At Arkansas*
- Oct. 17: Alabama*
- Oct. 24: At South Carolina*
- Oct. 31: Open
- Nov. 7: Kentucky*
- Nov. 14: At Texas A&M*
- Nov. 21: LSU*
- Nov. 28: At Vanderbilt*
*SEC game
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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