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Subcommittee sends three bills to full commerce, holds HB421 for legal corrections
Summary
The Business & Utility Subcommittee advanced House Bills 100, 182 and 303 to the full Commerce Committee with unanimous support and postponed House Bill 421 for two weeks to allow a legal correction, the committee clerk said Wednesday during the panel’s February meeting.
The Business and Utility Subcommittee met Wednesday, February 2025, and forwarded three bills to the full Commerce Committee while rolling one bill for correction, the committee clerk reported.
The actions affect municipal utility governance, tattoo licensure training and a one‑time antique-auto auction exemption. Members voted unanimously on the three measures that moved forward; one measure was held so legal staff can draft a correction before full committee consideration.
House Bill 100, sponsored on the floor by Chairman Howell, restores a section that was omitted when the Cleveland Municipal Electric Company converted to the Cleveland Utility Authority. The section being restored allows members of the authority’s board to receive compensation consistent with similar local utility boards under Tennessee law (TCA 7‑52‑110). The clerk recorded the committee vote as 10 ayes, 0 nays; the bill was sent to full Commerce.
House Bill 182, sponsored by Chairlady Littleton and titled the Ink of Hope Act, adds human‑trafficking awareness training to tattoo licensure requirements so that licensed tattoo artists can better recognize and report suspected trafficking. The committee voted 10‑0 to send the bill to full Commerce.
House Bill 303, sponsored by Representative Martin, authorizes a one‑time antique and unique automobile auction as part of the sixth annual Chattanooga Motor Car Festival planned for October. Martin told the committee the event typically draws about 12,000 attendees and has raised funds for CHI Memorial and the Neuroscience Innovation Foundation. The committee voted 10‑0 to advance HB303.
House Bill 421, sponsored by Speaker Pro Temp Marsh, would change continuing‑education requirements for utility board officials and create a pathway for a former utility commissioner who failed to complete required training to be reconsidered for board service if they meet training and approval requirements. Marsh said the bill reduces the additional continuing education from 12 hours over three years to 6 hours and would allow reinstatement following approval by the utility board and the comptroller’s office. Legal services identified a drafting issue the committee said needs correction; without objection, the committee rolled HB421 for two weeks so staff can make the fix.
Votes at a glance — HB100 (Howell): sent to full Commerce, 10‑0; HB182 (Littleton): sent to full Commerce, 10‑0; HB303 (Martin): sent to full Commerce, 10‑0; HB421 (Marsh): held for two weeks for legal correction.
Sponsors for the measures are expected to appear before the full Commerce Committee in the coming weeks; HB421 will return to the subcommittee after the requested drafting correction is prepared.
