Tennessee House Bill HB1313

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25
• Refer: 2/12/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 3, Part 4, relative to occupational safety and health penalties.

Summary

HB1313 updates Tennessee’s occupational safety and health penalty provisions by replacing fixed dollar caps in state law with references to the maximum penalties allowed by federal OSHA. The bill amends several sections of Title 50, Chapter 3, Part 4, including penalties currently capped at $7,000 and $70,000, so that future state penalties can rise or fall in line with federal OSHA maximums rather than remaining tied to specific amounts in statute. The measure is prospective only and takes effect July 1, 2025, applying to prohibited conduct occurring on or after that date. In practical terms, it would give Tennessee’s occupational safety and health enforcement framework more flexibility and keep state penalty levels aligned with federal standards without requiring additional statutory amendments each time OSHA adjusts its penalty schedule.

Impact

HB1313 would amend Tennessee Code Annotated sections governing occupational safety and health enforcement penalties, changing multiple fixed civil penalty amounts to a dynamic standard tied to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s maximum penalties. This affects employers, workplaces, and state enforcement officials by potentially increasing or decreasing penalty exposure depending on future federal OSHA adjustments, and it removes the need for Tennessee to periodically update specific dollar figures in state law.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears technical and administrative in nature, aimed at conformity with federal OSHA penalty limits rather than making a substantive policy shift in workplace safety standards.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the bill’s decision to tie Tennessee penalties to federal OSHA’s maximums instead of preserving fixed state-set caps. Supporters would likely view this as a modernization and conformity measure that keeps penalties current, while critics could be concerned that it delegates too much practical control over penalty levels to federal changes and could expose employers to higher fines in the future. No specific individuals or groups were identified in the provided discussion materials.