SB 755

ON MARCH 27, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 755, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revisions to present law:  Creates the Tennessee agriculture and forestry hall of fame ("hall of fame"") as the successor to, and a continuation of, the Tennessee agricultural hall of fame . TENNESSEE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY HALL OF FAME BOARD  E stablishe s the Tennessee agriculture and forestry hall of fame board (""board"") by transfer and expansion of the duties and responsibilities of the Tennessee agricultural hall of fame board.  Effective July 1, 2025, requires the existing membership of the Tennessee agricultural hall of fame board to be vacated and reconstituted as the board .  Requires the nine members of the board to include (i ) t he commissioner of agriculture or the commissioner's designee; (ii) the senior vice chancellor of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture; (iii) the dean of Tennessee State University College of Agriculture; (iv) the president of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation; (v) the Tennessee FFA State Director; (vi) one member from the middle grand division appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (vii) one member from the eastern grand division appointed by the speaker of the senate; (viii) one member from the western grand division appointed by the governor; and (ix) one member from the state at-large appointed by the governor.  Requires the above-listed persons appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, the speaker of the senate, and the governor to demonstrate significant ties to agriculture or forestry in this state by engagement in agricultural or forestry business, science, or engineering or by employment or service with an entity that serves the conservation of natural resources or betterment of farming or forestry interests.  Requires certain initial stagger ed terms for the appointed board members .  Authorizes the reappointment of m embers serving on the Tennessee agricultural hall of fame board as of June 30, 2025 .  Except for members with the initial staggered terms or those appointed to complete the term of a former member, requires members to be appointed to full six-year terms, or until their successors are appointed.  Following the expiration of the members' initial staggered terms, requires all six-year terms begin on July 1, and terminate on June 30, six years later .  Requires v acancies to be filled by the respective appointing authority.  Requires t he board to elect from its membership a chair, whose term is one year.  Authorizes t he board to elect such other officers as it considers necessary for the efficient operation of the board.  Provides that t he board is administratively attached to the department of agriculture (""department"") .  Provides that f ive members of the board constitutes a quorum.  Requires each board member to serve without compensation.  Requires th e commissioner of agriculture to call the first meeting of the board on or after July 1, 2025, while s ubsequent meetings of the board are at the call of the chair. ACCEPTANCE, ADMISSION, AND INDUCTION TO HALL OF FAME  Provides that t he hall of fame is under the general supervision of the board.  Prohibits a person from being admitted into the hall of fame except by written presentation to the board of the candidate's achievements in agricultural or forestry activities and a majority vote of the board for acceptance of the candidate into the hall of fame.  Requires t he board to strive to admit a person to the hall of fame only upon a showing that the person has made a significant impact on the improvement of agriculture or forestry in this state through agricultural or forestry business, invention, production, science, or technology and that prior to such achievement, the person resided in this state for a definite period of time, to be determined by the board.  Provides that a person is not eligible for admission into the hall of fame until five years after the date of such person's death. RULES  Upon the advice and recommendation of the board, authorizes the department to promulgate rules for the efficient administration of this amendment. GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND AWARDS  For the purpose of administering this amendment, authorizes the board to accept and receive gifts, contributions, and bequests of funds and in-kind goods and services from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other organizations or institutions.  Requires f unds received by the board to be administered for the board by the department and may be used solely for (i) advancement and promotion of the hall of fame; (ii) promotion of hall of fame inductees' achievements and contributions; (iii) providing awards ; and (iv) other authorized expenses.  Authorizes hall of fame a wards to be duplicated, but only upon majority vote and approval of the board, and may be housed, maintained, and displayed only upon the oversight, administration, and approval of either the Tennessee agricultural museum or the University of Tennessee. NAME EXCLUSIVITY AND APPROVED USE  Requires t he use of the name ""Tennessee Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame"" in Tennessee to denote a hall of fame for persons with achievements in agricultural or forestry activities to be exclusive to the board, although the use of the name may be granted to the department or another entity with the approval of the board.  Prohibits a person from using the name ""Tennessee Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame"" in this state to denote a hall of fame for persons with achievements in agricultural or forestry activities without the board's approval. TRANSITION  Requires a ll rules, procedures, and practices in effect under the creating statutes for the Tennessee agriculture hall of fame board to continue in effect until such time as the department or the board, as applicable, takes appropriate action to modify the rules, procedures, or practices.  Requires a ssets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations or other funds employed, held by, or available to the Tennessee agriculture hall of fame board are transferred to the board."