Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0896 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2		-	SENATE BILL 880
3		-	By Reeves
	2	+	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
4	3
5	4		HOUSE BILL 896
6	5		By Todd
7	6
8	7
9	8		HB0896
10	9		002240
11	10		- 1 -
12	11
13	12		AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
14	13		Chapter 5, relative to regulatory actions.
15	14
16	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	16		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 5, is amended by adding the
18	17		following new section:
19	18		§ 4-5-232. Sound science in regulations act.
20	19		(a) An agency shall not disseminate, propose, or finalize any regulatory action
21	20		by promulgating rules or a similar action for a substance, mixture, or chemical related to
22	21		drinking water, water pollution control, hazardous substances, contaminated site
23	22		remediation, air quality, or solid or hazardous waste handling unless:
24	23		(1) All scientific and technical information relied on to support the
25	24		regulatory action is based upon the best available science; and
26	25		(2) With respect to human health, the best available science indicates
27	26		that exposure to the substance, mixture, or chemical that exceeds the level
28	27		proposed in the regulatory action is causally linked to manifest bodily harm in
29	28		humans.
30	29		(b) For purposes of this section, the term:
31	30		(1) "Best available science" means science that:
32	31		(A) Is reliable, unbiased, and reasonably applied to the agency's
33	32		regulatory action;
	33	+	(B) Maximizes the quality, objectivity, and integrity of information,
	34	+	including statistical information; human, animal, and other relevant
	35	+	scientific studies; and human health risk-based assessments; and
34	36
35	37
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37	39
38		-	(B) Maximizes the quality, objectivity, and integrity of information,
39		-	including statistical information; human, animal, and other relevant
40		-	scientific studies; and human health risk-based assessments; and
41	40		(C) Involves the use of supporting studies that are:
42	41		(i) Conducted in accordance with sound and objective
43	42		scientific practices utilizing data collected by generally accepted
44	43		methods or best available methods;
45	44		(ii) Subject to independent verification; and
46	45		(iii) Published in a refereed journal;
47	46		(2) "Refereed journal" means a publication that:
48	47		(A) Uses an editorial board or critical review panel of subject
49	48		matter experts in the relevant scientific or technical disciplines who
50	49		critically and objectively assess the methodology and analysis of
51	50		submitted scientific studies in a nonpartisan fashion and provide editorial
52	51		services prior to publication;
53	52		(B) Takes meaningful steps to avoid biases in its scientific review
54	53		process; and
55	54		(C) Does not charge publication or submission fees to authors;
56	55		and
57	56		(3) "Regulatory action" means a risk, exposure, or health advisory;
58	57		hazard assessment, health-based guidance level, enforceable drinking water
59	58		standard, or hazardous substance or chemical of concern remediation standard;
60	59		a hazardous substance, solid waste, or hazardous waste designation or
61	60		determination; criteria document; standard; limitation; public notice; regulation or
	61	+	legislative rule; regulatory impact analysis; guidance document; or other similar
	62	+	administrative action or scientific or technical assessment or conclusion.
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63	64
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66		-	legislative rule; regulatory impact analysis; guidance document; or other similar
67		-	administrative action or scientific or technical assessment or conclusion.
68	67		(c) This section only applies to agency regulatory actions that are adopted on or
69	68		after July 1, 2025, and that are more stringent than any applicable federal regulatory
70	69		action or adopted in the absence of a federal regulatory action.
71	70		(d) This section must not be construed to impact:
72	71		(1) Any regulatory action by an agency in existence before July 1, 2025;
73	72		(2) Any regulatory action by an agency in furtherance of federal agency
74	73		primacy requirements; or
75	74		(3) Any regulatory action by an agency that is the substantive equivalent
76	75		to a federal regulation.
77	76		SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.