Summary of Legislation Introduced by Senator Norris and enacted into law during the 106th General Assembly

Public Chapter 949 on May 28, 2010
Senate Bill 555
House Bill 238

Criminal Offenses – This bill will increase public and community safety by taking aim at violent criminals that own dangerous animals.  It prohibits a person who has been convicted of a violent felony to own, possess, or have custody or control of a “vicious dog” or a “potentially vicious dog.”  Violation of this law is a Class A misdemeanor offense.  A “vicious dog" is any dog that, without provocation and off the property of the dog’s owner, has attacked a person. A "potentially vicious dog" is a dog that may reasonably be assumed to pose a threat to public safety.  Additionally, this bill requires that any dog in such a persons possession be spayed or neutered and microchipped for identification.

Public Chapter 630 on March 16, 2010
Senate Bill 670
House Bill 378

Codes – This bill is a common-sense approach to facilitate the building of schools.  It will allow construction to begin on a school while waiting on final approval from the fire marshal, as long as the codes are the same or more stringent than those enforced by the state fire marshal.

Public Chapter 644 on March 29, 2010
Senate Bill 1122
House Bill 736

Courts – This bill codifies common statewide practice in our courts by requiring court clerks to provide a receipt of payment upon any payment towards a judgment.

Public Chapter 895 on May 18, 2010
Senate Bill 1912
House Bill 1665

Firearms and Ammunition – This legislation adds commissioned reserve deputy sheriffs or commissioned reserve or auxiliary police officers to the list of law enforcement personnel permitted to carry firearms while off-duty.


Public Chapter 1082 on June 28, 2010
Senate Bill 1997
      House Bill 1911

Education – Enacts the “Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.”  This is part of a nationwide effort to help reduce the disruption associated with frequent transfers of military children from school to school which may cause a loss of school credit.  It targets specific educational items including school records, enrollment, power of attorney, and course waivers.

Public Chapter 977 on June 7, 2010
Senate Bill 2804
      House Bill 2949

Health Care - Current law authorizes health, educational, and housing facility corporations to lease or sell facilities to hospitals, not-for-profit blood banks or blood centers, institutions for higher education, or housing facilities. This legislation extends these same authorizations to clinics and community health centers and is crucial in assisting these facilities in obtaining low-cost financing.  These clinics are not-for-profit, out-patient, non-hospital facilities that provide primary health care, dental care, eye care, and child delivery and birthing services.  This bill provides Tennessee’s not-for-profit community health centers with another tool to assist in providing care to the uninsured, underinsured, and working poor.


Public Chapter 1064 on June 28, 2010
Senate Bill 2810
House Bill 3069

Taxes, Real Property – Current law authorizes Shelby County to gift abandoned and blighted property to not-for-profit community development corporations for the purpose of constructing affordable housing.  This bill expands that authorization to allow the gifting of such property to community development corporations for use on projects other than constructing affordable housing.


Public Chapter 1034 on June 21, 2010
Senate Bill 2943
      House Bill 2928

Workers Compensation – Current law allows for a reconsideration of workers compensation benefits after an employee returns to work, but is subsequently terminated during the 400-week period of their return to work.  This legislation would suspend the reconsideration process for an employee who has been terminated or has their hours reduced if, due to harsh economic conditions, the company has enacted reductions in total work force or reductions in hours that impact at least 50% of the employees at that company.

Public Chapter 1007 on June 07, 2010
Senate Bill 2809
      House Bill 3259

Tax liens / lenders – This legislation addresses a problem between the rights of purchase money security interest (PMSI) holders and the rights of city and county governments with tax liens on property.  The bill stems from a Tennessee Court of Appeals decision arising out of Williamson County which threatened to have a chilling effect on companies extending credit for equipment purchases to Tennessee businesses.  The legislation requires secured parties to withhold the amount of taxes due when property is repossessed and sold. The bill requires local governments to notify secured parties of their responsibility to pay past-due taxes on the secured equipment. In addition, a secured party’s liability is limited to four tax years. A county official or assessor is required to respond to a secured party’s request for information within 15 days via certified mail. These protections remove uncertainty for lenders so they know their tax liability when a business defaults.

106th General Assembly
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102nd General Assembly