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TennesseeSB 1884114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 217, Part 1, relative to the drycleaner environmental response program.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Hazardous Materials

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.

Drycleaner cleanup payments face cost limits

Beginning July 1, 2026, fund recipients pay 10% of each contractor bill, capped at $50,000 per site. Reentering the program for any reason, including missed registration or fees, triggers a new deductible. The state generally cannot approve more than $500,000 annually per registered or recently abandoned facility, or $2 million total per accepted registered facility. Payments generally cannot leave the fund below $100,000. These spending limits do not apply to emergencies posing an imminent and substantial health or environmental threat; the state must approve reasonable response costs to remove that threat.

Compliant drycleaner owners gain liability protection

Beginning July 1, 2026, qualifying current and former owners or operators gain protection from release-related liability beyond their deductible. Their fund application must be accepted, they must access fund money, and required registration fees and solvent surcharges must be paid. They must also materially follow program rules and required investigation or cleanup steps. Protection includes claims under other laws and claims by third parties. It does not bar personal-injury claims based solely on solvent exposure or limit lenders' claims arising from financing agreements.

More cleanup help for Tennessee drycleaners

Beginning July 1, 2026, registered Tennessee drycleaners, in-state wholesale distribution facilities, and qualifying recently abandoned drycleaners can seek cleanup funding. Recently abandoned sites must close under state rules within 180 days before applying and register before or when applying. Coverage includes soil gas, vapor under building floors, and indoor air. The fund supports investigation, containment, cleanup, monitoring, and maintenance; the state reviews applications and sets priorities based on risk and other factors. The department sets cleanup strategies and program rules, hires contractors, and can deny or withdraw applications for noncompliance.

Drycleaners face sales checks and penalties

Beginning July 1, 2026, drycleaners must register to buy solvent and clearly display a valid certificate for covered sales, transfers, or wholesale distribution. Violations bring penalties up to $10,000 each; late registration fees or surcharges bring penalties up to $50 daily until paid. The state cannot issue a certificate until all required fees, surcharges, and penalties are paid. Officials can inspect registered facilities at reasonable times, copy compliance records, and request compliance information from people or companies. Entry onto other property requires substantial evidence of current or past drycleaning or in-state wholesale distribution activity.

Some drycleaning sites cannot get funding

Beginning July 1, 2026, the state cannot use the fund for solvent contamination not caused by a registered facility. Certain transport-related releases at sites that are neither registered nor recently abandoned facilities are also excluded. Federal Superfund properties and drycleaning facilities with federal hazardous-waste permits under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act cannot receive funding.

Drycleaners pay fees with closure relief

Beginning July 1, 2026, facilities operating as drycleaners or in-state wholesale distributors during any part of a year must register annually and pay applicable fees. Fund participants must keep registering after operations stop. Solvent sellers must collect the surcharge, issue receipts, and send the money to the state; for out-of-state sales, either buyer or seller can handle collection. Recently abandoned facilities pay no solvent surcharge, and their fees and deductibles cannot exceed those for Tennessee's largest drycleaner. Fees, surcharges, and deductibles support the cleanup fund; the state sets rates by rule and can adjust them after public notice and comment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Bobby Harshbarger

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/5/2026

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 3/5/2026

Yes: 31 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/3/2026

SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/18/2026

SENATE ENERGY, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

    5/18/2026

  2. Pub. Ch. 970

    5/18/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/13/2026Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    5/5/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    5/1/2026House

  6. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/23/2026Senate

  7. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/23/2026Senate

  8. Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0

    4/20/2026House

  9. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/20/2026House

  10. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    3/9/2026House

  11. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/5/2026Senate

  12. Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

    3/5/2026Senate

  13. Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/5/2026

    3/3/2026Senate

  14. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

    3/3/2026Senate

  15. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

    2/24/2026Senate

  16. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    2/18/2026Senate

  17. Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 2/18/2026

    2/11/2026Senate

  18. Sponsor(s) Added.

    2/11/2026Senate

  19. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

    2/2/2026Senate

  20. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    1/22/2026Senate

  21. Filed for introduction

    1/21/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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