House Bill 896 introduces a new section to the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Title 4, Chapter 5, establishing the "Sound Science in Regulations Act." This act mandates that any regulatory action related to drinking water, water pollution control, hazardous substances, and air quality must be supported by the "best available science." This includes ensuring that all scientific information is reliable, unbiased, and maximizes the quality and integrity of data. Furthermore, it requires that any proposed exposure levels for substances must be causally linked to manifest bodily harm in humans, based on the best available science.

The provisions of this act will apply only to regulatory actions adopted on or after July 1, 2025, that are more stringent than federal regulations or enacted in the absence of federal action. It explicitly states that it will not affect existing regulatory actions prior to this date, actions required for federal agency compliance, or those that are equivalent to federal regulations. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, emphasizing the importance of scientific integrity in regulatory processes.