AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 1, relative to employment.
Summary
SB0858 amends Tennessee employment law in Title 50, Chapter 1 by adding a new reporting requirement to Tennessee Code Annotated § 50-1-506. Under the bill, the attorney general and reporter must submit an annual report by January 15 to the governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives stating how many injunctions were brought against persons under that section during the prior calendar year. The bill does not change the underlying injunction authority itself; it adds a transparency and oversight requirement around its use.
The practical effect is to create a recurring state-level reporting obligation tied to enforcement actions under the existing employment-related injunction statute. It would not directly regulate employers or employees beyond the current law, but it would require the attorney general’s office to track and disclose the number of injunctions filed under § 50-1-506. Because the act takes effect upon becoming law, the reporting requirement would begin immediately once enacted.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 50-1-506 by adding a new subsection requiring annual reporting by the attorney general and reporter on injunctions brought under that section. This affects the administration of Tennessee employment law by increasing public and legislative visibility into enforcement activity, but it does not alter the substantive standards for obtaining injunctions or create new rights or penalties for private parties.
Sentiment
The available committee votes suggest generally favorable sentiment toward the bill. It was recommended for passage in the Senate State & Local Government Committee by a 7-2 vote and then recommended for passage in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee by an 8-1 vote. No committee transcript is available, so the record shows support for the measure but does not provide detailed debate or stated rationale from members.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the added reporting burden on the attorney general’s office and whether the new disclosure requirement is necessary or useful. Because the bill concerns injunctions against persons under an employment-related statute, any disagreement likely centers on oversight of enforcement versus administrative burden, but the available materials do not identify specific objections or sponsors’ responses. The close minority votes in committee indicate some resistance, though not enough to prevent favorable recommendations.