Latest news with #RickEldridge
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
LIST: New laws that take effect July 1, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tuesday, July 1, a number of laws passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in recent years take full effect. From allowing online boating license exams to increasing the penalties for drunk driving to combatting AI-generated deepfakes, these are some of the laws set to be fully enforced as of July 1. House Bill 995 by State Rep. Iris Rudder (R-Winchester) extends the immunity provisions for persons seeking medical care for themselves or others in the event of a suspected alcohol overdose. Tennessee already has a Good Samaritan provision for those experiencing a suspected drug overdose who seek medical attention. This law allows for alcohol-related misdemeanors like public intoxication and those drinking under the age of 21 to be covered under the Good Samaritan provision. The law was inspired by a constituent of Rudder's who lost her 18-year-old brother to an alcohol overdose at a party. According to House Republicans, the teen's friends were afraid they would get in legal trouble if they called for help for him since they were under the legal drinking age. House Bill 530 by State Rep. Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown) allows Tennessee citizens to take their boating safety exam online by eliminating the current monitoring requirement. Previously, citizens were required to take the exam in-person under the supervision of a proctor. Part of the new law allows for online testing access for those in rural areas, and also provides working individuals a 'flexible solution' if they work during standard business hours, according to a spokesman for the House Republican caucus. House Bill 141 by Rep. Michael Hale (R-Smithville) aims to protect consumers from excessive charges when canceling service contracts for cable, internet or phone plans. The bill prohibits service providers from billing customers for an extra billing cycle if the contract is canceled during the first half of the cycle. Should a customer cancel their plan in the second half of the billing cycle, providers would be able to charge for the remaining days and one additional billing term. | READ MORE | Companies that fail to comply would be subject to penalties from the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977. This bill by Rep. Rusty Grills (R-Newbern) establishes new rules for 'alternative proteins' sold in Tennessee. Passed in 2024, the law prohibits any 'cell-cultured protein or lab-grown meat' from being marketed as 'meat' or 'meat food products' in the state. Though not yet available in Tennessee, state lawmakers followed the path of other states in passing strict rules for the potential protein, including Florida and Alabama. Only two companies in the U.S. are currently authorized to produce lab-grown chicken. Two laws passed by state Republicans, House Bill 72 and 751, aim to protect children from exposure to substances like fentanyl or hemp-derived products Tennessee 'PEACE' Act signed by Gov. Bill Lee House Bill 72, by Rep. Dan Howell (R-Cleveland), establishes a minimum sentence of 48 consecutive hours in a county jail or workhouse and a fine of at least $500 for people convicted of selling or distributing products like THC gummies to people under the age of 21. According to East Tennessee Children's Hospital, more than 250 children were treated for 'cannabis poisoning' between July 2023 and June 2024. House Bill 751 by Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) enhances already established penalties for exposing a child to fentanyl. Specifically, it creates a Class E felony for anyone who does so, and elevates the crime to a Class B felony if the child is under 8 years old. According to House Republicans, Poison centers in the U.S. managed 539 cases of children under 6 being exposed to fentanyl in 2023. House Bill 1050 by Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) holds businesses accountable if they enable or ignore criminal activity on their premises. The criminal activity could be 'ongoing violence, drug sales, and other public safety hazards,' per the law. The law also offers relief for neighborhoods plagued by problem establishments by 'streamlining the nuisance business closure statutes' and giving residents and other businesses in the same ZIP code the ability to receive statutory damages. Hamilton County Rep. Greg Martin passed House Bill 302, which makes it a Class C misdemeanor to park, stop, or leave a vehicle in a way that impedes traffic. The penalty increases to a Class B misdemeanor if the action contributes to an accident. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → State Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) attempted to make the act of blocking a highway during a protest a felony in February of 2024, but the measure failed due to lack of funding. Rogersville Republican Rep. Gary Hicks passed House Bill 482, which adds prostate, breast and pancreatic cancers to the list of diseases covered by the Barry Brady Act of 2019. That law outlined specific cancers presumed to have been caused by employment as a firefighter and required them covered under workers compensation. Also covered by the Act are non-Hodgkin lymphoma and colon, skin and multiple myeloma cancers. Passed by Memphis State Rep. Karen Camper, House Bill 537 codifies the 'Law Enforcement's Safer Tennessee Electronic Registration Act.' The law clarifies that law enforcement is required to accept a digital copy of vehicle registration as a valid proof of insurance. Tennessee also allows for digital copies of proof of insurance. Tennessee ranked 3rd most dangerous state for teen drivers House Bill 1025 by Rep. Lowell Russell (R-Vonore) suspends a juvenile's driving privileges for one year if they are adjudicated delinquent for harassment, bullying, or cyberbullying. The legislation expands on a previous law Russell promoted that formally defines bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment in state law. The law also contains an option for first-time offenders to receive a restricted license for use only to drive to school, work and church. House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) successfully passed House Bill 1299, which creates a new legal framework for victims of AI deepfakes to take legal action and receive damages. The law creates a Class E felony offense to 'disclose or threaten to disclose intimate digital depictions with the intent to harass, annoy, alarm or cause substantial harm to the finances or reputation of the depicted individual.' Former Nashville meteorologist Bree Smith championed the effort after she was victimized by such a deepfake. Introduced by Nashville Rep. Bob Freeman, the law expands the offense of unlawful photography to include any unauthorized photograph that a defendant knows would include the 'unclothed intimate area' of a victim or the victim engaged in sexual activity. The law also allows victims to receive orders of protection if they have been subject to, threatened with, or placed in fear of unlawful photography. The law was inspired by dozens of Nashville women who were victimized by a man who had a hidden camera disguised as an alarm clock in his bedroom. The women all dated Matthew Vollmer and later discovered he had taken photos and videos of their sexual encounters without their knowledge. Many of the women were unable to press charges against him due to previous statutes of limitations, prompting lawmakers to act. ⏩ Championed by Lamberth, the PEACE Act makes particular changes to current state law to address 'hate littering' and trespassing, as well as police procedure, obstruction and road safety. The full title is the Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism and it stems from the Neo-Nazi marches in downtown Nashville in 2024, as well as the subsequent targeting of a synagogue by anti-Semitic groups. The bill makes it illegal to leave a hate-filled flyer in neighborhoods, hang banners from overpasses and bridges, ride in the back of a box truck, refuse to give one's name or give the wrong name to police, and getting within 25 feet of an officer after being asked to back up. Nashville State Rep. Caleb Hemmer passed House Bill 24, which increases the penalties for those convicted of certain animal-related crimes. Specifically, the law makes removing a wild animal, wild fowl, or fish while trespassing on land a Class B misdemeanor rather than a Class C misdemeanor. The law also increases various fines under $500 to 'not more than $500.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘I remember him every Memorial Day' Vietnam veterans in Hamblen County remember those they served alongside
HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — At the Hamblen Memory Gardens and Mausoleums, there was a wreath laying ceremony and remembrance conducted by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Every year, Hamblen Memory Gardens hosts a Memorial Day service followed by a small community cookout. It's a tradition meant to honor those who sacrificed their tomorrow for our today. 'Memorial Day is for those who never took their uniform off' Knoxville veterans honor fallen service members 6 News spoke with veterans and residents remembering the servicemen and women who lost their lives while serving this country. People at the event shared what Memorial Day truly means to them. They also shared stories about the friends and family they are honoring. 'Growing up, I didn't realize the significance of it until I got older, and I started having some of my cousins, some of my older cousins going to Vietnam. And I think that's when I started really paying attention to what was going on. A lot of people, its over time, it's lost a lot of its meaning… kind of blends in. It definitely needs to be about those that paid the ultimate price for our freedoms here,' explained Rick Eldridge, the state representative for Granger and Hamblen Counties, who shared a few words at the event. Three adults, three children rescued after watercraft hit a tree on Pigeon River The service took place in the special veteran's portion of the garden where the Vietnam Veterans of America placed American flags beside each grave. For Vietnam veteran Marvin Gilliam, Memorial Day brings back powerful memories of those who served by his side. 'I remember a couple of guys that I went to high school with, we joined the Marine Corps close together, and two of us went to Vietnam together. One was one of my friends was in the infantry. We graduated from West Green High school up in Greenville, and he came home and he passed away later due to Agent Orange…and I remember him every Memorial Day,' said Gilliam. Eldridge shared he was honored to speak at the event and reminded those who gathered why taking time to reflect is so important. 'I know it's important to gather with your family and everything but, it's important to take a moment and say, I remember the families that have an empty spot at their table today. I think that's just a matter of respect and that's what we should do,' added Eldridge. East Tennessee soldiers, sailors and Marines killed while on active duty with the United States military Despite the rain, many people stayed to take a private moment to visit their loved ones who were laid to rest in the garden. Executive Director of the gardens, Pam Walker, shared with 6 News that they plan to continue to hold this ceremony for years to come and will always reserve spaces in the veterans garden for those who served. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bean Station sewer project gets $1.5 million in state funding
BEAN STATION, Tenn. (WATE) — $1.5 million in state funding was approved for the Town of Bean Station to begin its sewer project. The project will connect Bean Station to the city of Morristown's wastewater treatment facility. This aims to reduce costs for residents while ensuring more efficient, reliable service for the community. The funding comes from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's (TDEC) Water Regionalization Project. Concerns over planned 'micronation' in Hawkins County 'This project is a game-changer for growth in the Bean Station community, opening the door for new businesses, restaurants and opportunities,' said State Rep. Rick Eldridge. 'Local leaders have worked tirelessly to help secure this funding, and I'm deeply grateful to the General Assembly and TDEC for recognizing this need. I look forward to seeing the project break ground soon!' This initiative's goal is to strengthen that state's arterial infrastructure. TDEC received more than $1.3 billion from the state's American Rescue Plan funds to administer grants like the one to Bean Station. The grants can be used for projects focusing on drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects focused on regionalization, water reuse and resource protection. Regionalization is when a smaller utility system is consolidated into a larger network. KPD, YWAC investigating after two dogs found abandoned This is not the first time Bean Station has been given a grant from the state's American Rescue Plan funds. In April 2023, Bean Station was given a $3,949,472 grant to address critical system needs for several utility systems and develop an Asset Management Plan. The projects funded include improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and collection system, and meter and water line replacements and extensions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
