Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB1246 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	HOUSE BILL 951
3	3	By Brooks
4	4
5	5	SENATE BILL 1246
6	6	By Yarbro
7	7
8	8
9	9	SB1246
10	10	001144
11	11	- 1 -
12	12
13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
14	14	Chapter 3, Part 5 and Title 67, relative to energy.
15	15
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	17	SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Clean Energy and Jobs Act".
18	18	SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 5, is amended by
19	19	adding the following as a new section:
20	20	(a) As used in this section:
21	21	(1) "Clean energy":
22	22	(A) Means energy that is derived from a source known to produce
23	23	significantly lower carbon emissions than traditional fossil fuels; and
24	24	(B) Includes energy generated from solar, wind, geothermal,
25	25	hydropower, and biomass;
26	26	(2) "Department" means the department of environment and
27	27	conservation;
28	28	(3) "Fund" means the clean energy workforce fund; and
29	29	(4) "Office" means the department's office of energy programs.
30	30	(b)
31	31	(1) There is created in the state treasury the clean energy workforce
32	32	training fund, which is separate and distinct from the general fund and all other
33	33	reserve funds, to be administered by the office.
34	34
35	35
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38	38	(2) The fund consists of moneys appropriated to the fund by the general
39	39	assembly. Funds appropriated to the fund must only be used to provide grants to
40	40	clean energy workforce training projects, as described in this section.
41	41	(c) The office shall utilize the fund to provide grants to support the development,
42	42	implementation, and operation of clean energy workforce training programs.
43	43	(d) The office shall develop eligibility criteria by rule, and shall create an
44	44	application with which an individual or entity may request funding.
45	45	(e) All grant recipients are subject to audit by the comptroller of the treasury as
46	46	to the funds received pursuant to this section.
47	47	(f)
48	48	(1) In addition to appropriations made to the fund, the department may
49	49	accept other funds, public or private, by way of gift or grant to the fund. Any such
50	50	gift or grant must be deposited into the fund to be distributed in accordance with
51	51	this section.
52	52	(2) Moneys in the fund may be invested by the state treasurer in
53	53	accordance with § 9-4-602.
54	54	(3) Interest accruing on investments and deposits of the fund must be
55	55	credited to the fund, do not revert to the general fund, and must be carried
56	56	forward into the subsequent fiscal year.
57	57	(4) Any balance remaining unexpended at the end of a fiscal year in the
58	58	fund does not revert to the general fund and must be carried forward into the
59	59	subsequent fiscal year.
60	60	SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, Chapter 6, Part 3, is amended by
61	61	adding the following as a new section:
62	62	(a) As used in this section:
63	63
64	64
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66	66
67	67	(1) "Renewable energy business":
68	68	(A) Means a business entity for which the primary activity or
69	69	sources of revenue involve the development, manufacture, installation, or
70	70	maintenance of goods that generate electricity or heat from renewable
71	71	sources of energy, including sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat, or
72	72	biomass; and
73	73	(B) Includes solar panel installation companies, wind farm
74	74	developers, and hydroelectric power plant operators;
75	75	(2) "Small business" means a business entity, including its affiliates, that
76	76	employs fifty (50) or fewer full-time employees; and
77	77	(3) "Sustainable practices":
78	78	(A) Means a business practice the primary goal of which is to
79	79	minimize the environmental impact of the business by reducing waste
80	80	produced by the business, conserving resources, or reducing the amount
81	81	of pollution produced by the business; and
82	82	(B) Includes practices such as integrating eco-friendly material
83	83	into the production or manufacturing process of a good, or recycling a
84	84	material used in the production or manufacturing process of a good,
85	85	utilizing biodegradable packaging.
86	86	(b) There is a tax credit of thirty percent (30%) of the sales and use tax paid with
87	87	respect to:
88	88	(1) A system, method, improvement, structure, device, or appliance
89	89	primarily used by a renewable energy business to develop, manufacture, install,
90	90	or maintain a good or system that generates electricity or heat from renewable
91	91	sources of energy; or
92	92
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95	95
96	96	(2) A system, method, improvement, structure, device, or appliance
97	97	primarily used by a small business to implement or improve the business's
98	98	sustainable practices.
99	99	(c) The department of revenue shall promulgate rules to effectuate this section.
100	100	The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative
101	101	Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
102	102	SECTION 4. For purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming a
103	103	law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1, 2026,
104	104	the public welfare requiring it.