The Tennessee General Assembly unanimously passed Savanna’s Law, creating a public registry for individuals convicted of second or subsequent domestic violence offenses. Sponsored by State Rep. Sabi “Doc” Kumar, R-Springfield, the law directs the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to maintain a registry, which will include offenders’ names, dates of birth, conviction dates and photos, but exclude sensitive details like addresses and Social Security numbers.
Named in honor of Robertson County Deputy Sheriff Savanna Puckett, who was killed by a former partner in 2022, the law requires courts to order qualifying offenders to register and court clerks to send certified conviction records to the TBI within seven days. It also imposes a $150 registration fee.
Ink of Hope Act
“The Ink of Hope Act,” which requires each tattoo operator or tattoo artist, before receiving a permit to operate a tattoo establishment or to apply a tattoo, to complete up to one hour of online or in-person training, at no cost to the applicant, by a nonprofit organization approved by the Tennessee human trafficking advisory council that focuses on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to respond to those signs, how to refer a client to resources for victims of human trafficking, and reporting signs of human trafficking to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline.
TATTOO OPERATOR/ARTIST EXAMINATION
Present law requires tattoo operators and tattoo artists to take and pass an examination before a tattoo artist permit can be issued. The examination must be a written examination prescribed by the local health department. This bill adds that such examination must include questions on recognizing and reporting signs of human trafficking.
HB0164/SB0128
-ON APRIL 15, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 128, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #2 makes the following revisions:
Revises the provision requiring the board of chiropractic examiners to adopt rules regulating the performance of animal chiropractic by a chiropractic physician to, instead, adopt rules regulating the performance of animal chiropractic.
Clarifies that the educational standards established by the board of chiropractic examiners for certification of a chiropractic physician to perform animal chiropractic may be a curriculum similar to that of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association if such curriculum is approved by the board.
Clarifies that it is not a violation of the bill for a person who is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state, and who holds a current certification from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association or the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association, to represent or advertise that the person is certified to provide animal chiropractic.
HB1378/SB1420
Driver Licenses – As enacted, requires written examinations administered to applicants for a driver license or intermediate driver license to include questions concerning hand signals used by operators of bicycles to communicate turning, slowing, and stopping. – Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50.
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