House Bill 2024, also known as Senate Bill 2152, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to underground utility damage prevention. Key changes include the expansion of the definition of excavation activities to include "dredging" alongside "digging" and "ditching." The bill introduces a new term, "digital locating," which refers to the use of visual indicators on digital imagery or electronic maps to show the locations of underground utilities. Additionally, the timeframe for notifying utility operators before excavation is extended from fifteen to twenty calendar days.

Further amendments involve the requirement for a pre-excavation meeting between the person responsible for the excavation and all operators with underground facilities in the area, aimed at exchanging information about utility locations. The bill also allows for the use of vacuum excavation by member operators for the protection of their underground facilities once they have been notified. Lastly, it updates references to include "digital locating" in the context of facility records. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of public welfare in its implementation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 65-31-102(12)(A), 65-31-102, 65-31-106(a)(1), 65-31-106, 65-31-106(b), 65-31-106(e), 65-31-118(b)(1)(B), 65-31-118