Tennessee 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB0141 Draft / Bill

Filed 01/14/2025

                     
HOUSE BILL 16 
 By Clemmons 
 
SENATE BILL 141 
By Kyle 
 
 
SB0141 
000490 
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; 
Title 49; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to pedestrian 
safety. 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: 
 SECTION 1.  Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 54, Chapter 4, is amended by adding 
the following as a new part: 
54-4-701. 
The department of transportation shall establish and administer a student 
pedestrian protection grant program.  The purpose of the program is to provide grants to 
local governments to be used solely for designing, constructing, and repairing or 
replacing sidewalk infrastructure around public schools in this state.   
54-4-702.   
(a)  There is created a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the 
student pedestrian protection grant fund.  The fund is composed of: 
(1)  Funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and 
(2)  Gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the 
fund. 
(b)  Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall allocate and disperse 
grants each fiscal year to local governments.  The grants must be awarded on a 
competitive basis.  The commissioner shall propose the annual recurring budget of the 
program and shall establish the selection criteria for awarding grants.  Funds must not 
be obligated or expended under the program unless the local government agrees to 
match the proposed expenditures in an amount established by the commissioner.  The   
 
 
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commissioner shall determine whether all, or a portion, of the required match may be 
provided by in-kind project work approved by the commissioner.   
(c)  Moneys in the fund must be invested by the state treasurer for the benefit of 
the fund in accordance with ยง 9-4-603.  Interest accruing on investments and deposits of 
the fund must be returned to the fund and remain part of the fund.  Any unencumbered 
moneys and any unexpended balance of the fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year 
do not revert to the general fund, but must be carried forward until expended in 
accordance with this section.   
54-4-703. 
The commissioner may promulgate rules to effectuate this part in accordance 
with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. 
54-4-704.   
Each recipient of student pedestrian protection grant funds shall provide a 
quarterly report to the department detailing the progress on use of the funds and a final 
report once all of the grant funds have been expended.  On or before October 1 in any 
year during which the department has allocated and dispersed funds pursuant to this 
part, the department of transportation shall prepare a report to the general assembly 
regarding the funds received and payments made by the fund. 
 SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.