SB2148 • 2026

Professions and Occupations

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 15; Title 56; Title 62; Title 64 and Title 68, relative to welding.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Pody
Last action: 2026-02-05
Official status: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and official text do not provide details on penalties for non-compliance with certification requirements or quality standards.

Responsible Welding for Tennessean's Safety Act

This bill requires contractors and project managers to ensure that welders performing structural steel welding are tested and certified by an accredited facility or individual, and that the work meets specific standards when design professionals include certain codes in job specifications.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law called the 'Responsible Welding for Tennessean's Safety Act'.
Requires general contractors, project managers, and subcontractors to ensure welders are tested and certified by an accredited facility or individual when structural steel welding is part of a job.
Ensures that structural steel welding meets specific standards set by the American Welding Society (AWS) if certain codes are included in job specifications.
Exempts work performed on the premises of a homeowner or farmer from these requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

General contractors, project managers, and subcontractors who perform structural steel welding projects.
Welders performing structural steel welding under certain conditions.
Design professionals who include specific codes in job specifications for structural steel welding projects.

Terms To Know

AWS: American Welding Society, an organization that sets standards for welding.
D1.1 and D1.5 codes: Specific American National Standards from the AWS for structural steel welding and bridge welding respectively.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a welder is not certified or if the work does not meet standards.
It only applies to projects where design professionals include D1.1 or D1.5 codes in job specifications, and exempts homeowner and farmer projects.

Bill History

Date Tennessee General Assembly
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 2148
By Pody
SB2148
012237
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 15; Title 56; Title 62; Title 64 and Title 68,
relative to welding.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 120, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
68-120-601. Short title.
This part is known and may be cited as the "Responsible Welding for
Tennessean's Safety Act".
68-120-602. Part definitions.
As used in this part:
(1) "AWS" means the American Welding Society;
(2) "D1.1" means the current version of the Structural Steel Welding
Code (SSWC), approved American National Standard from the AWS;
(3) "D1.5" means the current version of the Bridge Welding Code (BWC),
approved American National Standard from the AWS jointly with the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO);
(4) "Design Professional" means a licensed expert, including engineers,
who creates and plans buildings, structures, or systems, focusing on public
health, safety, and function;
(5) "Structural steel welding" means structural welds, weld repair, the
structural system, and the welding of all primary steel members of a structure per
SSWC D1.1 and D1.5 established by the AWS; and

- 2 - 012237

(6) "Welding standards" means the specifications, guidelines, tests, and
other methods used to develop a system of quality control to ensure that welding
is conducted in such a manner that all welds must meet, at a minimum, D1.1 and
D1.5 standards established by the AWS.
68-120-603. Structural steel welding — Standards and certification.
(a) If a design professional includes D1.1 or D1.5 in the job specifications for a
project involving structural steel welding, then a general contractor, project manager,
contractor, or subcontractor must ensure that:
(1) A welder performing structural steel welding on a project is tested and
holds a valid certification by:
(A) An accredited AWS testing facility; or
(B) An individual who has been accredited by the AWS to test
and certify welders and welding inspectors; and
(2) Structural steel welding performed on a project meets applicable
welding standards.
(b) This section does not apply to a welding project performed or requested by a
homeowner or farmer on the premises of the homeowner or farmer.
SECTION 2. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not
constitute a part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is
requested to include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect January 1, 2027, the public welfare requiring it.