Tennessee's New Laws On July 1: Gas Tax, Sign Language, Silencers And K9 Care

NASHVILLE, TN — When the calendar flips from June to July, the book opens on a host of new laws in Tennessee.

The IMPROVE Act, the highlight of Gov. Bill Haslam's 2017 legislative agenda aims at improving the state's infrastructure, but it does mean the first increase in the state's fuel taxes — euphemistically, "highway user fees" — in decades. The tax on gasoline will go up 4 cents July 1, with one-cent increases scheduled for 2018 and 2019. Meanwhile, Tennesseans will pay slightly less for groceries in return with a decrease on the state's food tax, which will drop from 5 percent to 4 percent. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

Among the other changes to transportation is an extension of the Move Over Law to apply to any vehicle on the shoulder of the road with its hazard lights engaged. Drivers will be required to make a lane change if possible or slow and proceed with caution if not when passing a disabled vehicle.

Bank officials will be able to delay a transaction if they believe financial exploitation of an elderly person or other vulnerable adult is involved. In addition, the state added a new crime of financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult.

As part of the state's ongoing effort to fight opioid abuse, pain management clinics will be required to be licensed and subject to regular and surprise inspections. In addition, schools will be required to have a small supply of an opioid antagonist — sold commercially as Narcan — and doctors who are addicted to or abusing prescription drugs will be required to surrender their license or undergo rehab.

The state's retired K-9 officers will be provided some post-service health care. A new law authorizes an $85 monthly stipend to a highway patrol office who has a retired Tennessee Highway Patrol service dog for the canine's on-going health care.

Homeowners associations will be barred from banning the display of American or military flags and will be prohibited in many cases from banning the display of political campaign signs.

In gun law, the state extended the so-called castle doctrine, which generally provides protections and immunities to people who use firearms to protect their homes, to boats; the state previously extended the law to motor vehicles. Under the "Tennessee Hearing Protection Act," silencers are now legal in certain cases in Tennessee.

Abortions after 20 weeks will require a viability test after July 1, with exceptions for imminent death of the mother or risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a bodily function.

Other new laws include:

• The state will make it easier for schools to offer courses in American Sign Language, which will fulfill the foreign language requirement.
• Purple stripes on trees and posts will have the same effect as a "No Trespassing" sign provided that there is a sign indicating the meaning of the stripes.
• State buildings will be required to have colored facings on steps in an aid to people with visual impairment.

The Secretary of State has a full list of the new public chapters set to go in effect July 1.

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