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SB1381 • 2026

Housing

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 33, relative to housing.

Education Healthcare Housing Land
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Watson, Martin G
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 503
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement costs or potential regulations, leaving these points uncertain.

Rules for Sober Living Homes

This bill allows local governments to make rules about sober living homes and where they can be located, as long as these rules follow federal laws on housing and disabilities.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows local governments to require a minimum distance of 1,000 feet between sober living homes and K-12 educational facilities, preschools, or daycare centers.
  • Permits local governments to create rules about how sober living homes operate within their area.
  • Requires operators of sober living homes to get medical referrals before allowing someone to live there.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local government officials who can make rules for sober living homes.
  • Operators and residents of sober living homes.

Terms To Know

Sober Living Home
A place where people recovering from alcohol or drug abuse live together without formal treatment services.
Local Government
Includes counties, cities, towns, and metropolitan governments that can make local rules.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much it will cost local governments to enforce these new rules.
  • It is unclear what specific regulations local governments might create under this law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0783

Plain English: This amendment adds new requirements for sober living homes in certain large cities by setting distance restrictions from schools and daycare centers, mandating certification by approved organizations, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.

  • Requires sober living homes within 1000 feet of K-12 educational facilities, preschools, or daycares to be certified by an organization listed on the state's mental health services website.
  • Allows local governments to regulate the location and operation of sober living homes, including compliance with zoning laws and safety codes.
  • Requires operators to obtain a recommendation from a licensed healthcare provider before allowing individuals to reside in a sober living home.
  • The amendment specifies that these requirements do not apply retroactively to existing sober living homes unless they cease operation, but it does not provide details on how this will be enforced or monitored.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1381

Plain English: This amendment adds new regulations for sober living homes in certain local governments with specific population sizes.

  • Defines key terms such as 'sober living home', 'local government', and others relevant to the regulation of these facilities.
  • Allows local governments to require sober living homes within a one-thousand-foot radius of schools, preschools, or daycare centers to be certified by approved organizations.
  • Permits local governments to regulate the location and operation of sober living homes according to state laws and codes.
  • Requires operators to receive recommendations from healthcare providers before allowing individuals to reside in sober living homes.
  • The amendment text does not specify which exact local government it applies to, only describing its population range.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 503

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/21/2025

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 503

  4. 2025-05-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  12. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0267)

  13. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2025

  15. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/22/2025

  16. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  17. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  18. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  19. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 80, Nays 8, PNV 4

  20. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0396)

  22. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

  23. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  24. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  25. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2025

  26. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  27. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  28. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  30. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  31. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  32. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  33. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  34. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  35. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  36. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  37. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  38. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  39. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  42. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  44. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  45. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  46. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill authorizes the
governing body of a county, incorporated city or town, or metropolitan government
("
local government
")

to
adopt an ordinance or resolution
:



Requiring an alcohol-free and drug-free residence where unrelated adults who are recovering from alcohol, drug, or substance abuse choose to live together in a supportive environment during their recovery where no formal alcohol and drug services are provided
("
sober living home
")
to be located at a distance of not less than
1,000
feet from a K-12 educational facility, preschool, or daycare facility
.



Regulating the location or operation of a sober living home within the jurisdiction of the local government
.



Requiring the lawful owner of a sober living home
,
or a person or entity designated by such lawful owner to have primary responsibility for the daily operation of such sober living home, prior to authorizing an individual to reside in a sober living home, receive a clinical referral from a licensed healthcare provider

whose scope of practice includes the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse indicating that placement in a sober living home is a medical necessity for the individual based on the individual's status as recovering from alcohol, drug, or substance abuse.

This bill requires an
ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to
this bill to
comply with the
federal
Fair Housing Act

and the
federal
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 783
By Martin G

SENATE BILL 1381
By Watson

SB1381
002768
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 6; Title 7; Title 13 and Title 33, relative to
housing.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 51, is amended by adding
the following new part:
7-51-2601.
As used in this part:
(1) "Alcohol and drug services" has the same meaning as defined in §
33-2-1401;
(2) "Healthcare provider" means a healthcare professional licensed
under title 63 or 68 whose scope of practice includes the diagnosis and treatment
of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse;
(3) "Local government" means a county, incorporated city or town, or
metropolitan government;
(4) "Operator" means the lawful owner of a sober living home or a person
or entity designated by such lawful owner to have primary responsibility for the
daily operation of such sober living home; and
(5) "Sober living home" means an alcohol-free and drug-free residence
where unrelated adults who are recovering from alcohol, drug, or substance
abuse choose to live together in a supportive environment during their recovery
where no formal alcohol and drug services are provided.
7-51-2602.

- 2 - 002768

(a) The governing body of a local government may adopt an ordinance or
resolution:
(1) Requiring a sober living home to be located at a distance of not less
than one thousand feet (1,000') from a kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12)
educational facility, preschool, or daycare facility;
(2) Regulating the location or operation of a sober living home within the
jurisdiction of the local government; and
(3) Requiring that an operator, prior to authorizing an individual to reside
in a sober living home, receive a clinical referral from a licensed healthcare
provider indicating that placement in a sober living home is a medical necessity
for the individual based on the individual's status as recovering from alcohol,
drug, or substance abuse.
(b) An ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to subsection (a) must comply
with the Fair Housing Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.) and the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.