113th General Assembly prepares to adjourn sine die
As the legislative session is winding down at press time, a few Farm Bureau priority issues have already made their way across the finish line for 2024. It is expected by the end of April the legislature will have completed their business for the 113th General Assembly. To keep up with the latest on week to week proceedings, check out the legislative alert and listen to Farm Bureau on the Hill.
HJR81 – Constitutional Amendment Passes Senate Floor
On March 28, 2024 the Tennessee Senate took up HJR81Niceley for its third and final reading and vote. This Resolution, which passed with well over the needed majority, wraps up the first of what will be a multi-year hurdle for adding a Constitutional Amendment. From here, this language will be re-filed in January of 2025 in the 114th General Assembly, where it must pass both chambers with a two- thirds majority. If it passes then, it will be before Tennessee’s voters on the 2026 gubernatorial ballot. Expect to hear more about this Farm Bureau priority issue over the next few years as this legislation continues its journey.
SB2486/HB2496 – Solar TACIR Study Implementation Heads to Governor’s Desk
Another Farm Bureau priority issue, SB2486 Walley/HB2496 Hurt, is headed to Governor Lee’s desk for his signature. This legislation codifies recommendations from a September 2023 Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) Study, a former Farm Bureau priority issue. A collaborative effort from several stakeholder groups, this bill provides clarity and accountability to landowners, local governments, and solar development companies by creating resources within the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Energy Programs, lowering the decommissioning threshold for projects in order for more projects to be protected, as well as ensures Tennessee’s new brownfield redevelopment law explicitly lists solar as a formidable use of this grant program.
Other Items of Mention
There are several other legislative items Farm Bureau has engaged in throughout this session. Here are some items of mention:
- SB1914/HB2480 – Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act Passes
SB1914 Niceley/HB2480 Cochran is a bipartisan effort to return whole milk into local schools across Tennessee. This permissive legislation would give local education agencies the authority to adopt nutrition policies which include the offering of whole milk in cafeterias. It has been shown the popularity of whole milk increases when available in a gravity dispenser instead of a carton, thus alongside this legislation comes a proposed $375,000 in grant money to the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of installing gravity dispensers in Tennessee schools. Farm Bureau supported this legislation.
- SB1983/HB2119 Evidence for Eminent Domain
Farm Bureau policy commends the General Assembly for the additional safeguards to ensure the power of eminent domain is not abused. However, in such cases when it must be utilized, public use must be clearly defined to provide maximum property rights protection. SB1983 Niceley/HB2119 Faison adds criteria for establishing the preponderance of the evidence in instances where eminent domain is utilized. This adds extra protections around potential misuse of eminent domain authority. Farm supported this legislation.
- Animal Health and Technology
There were several pieces of legislation which posed a threat to Tennessee’s animal health and livestock industry. As before mentioned in the last edition, Farm Bureau adamantly opposes any legislation which would negatively impact a livestock owners ability to provide basic and essential care to their livestock or hinder their ability to market their goods. At the time of this issue’s print, Farm Bureau is pleased to report all of the bills which were of concern to our membership are no longer moving. A large majority of these bills were sent to summer study, where it may be discussed prior to the next general assembly.Stay tuned for the next issue for a complete look at the final budget, as well as other important pieces of legislation which will soon become law.
