Historical Commission - As introduced, provides for the purchase of the James K. Polk Home in Columbia by the commission; authorizes the commission to contract with a nonprofit corporation for the improvement, maintenance, and operation of the property for the benefit of the citizens of this state and the general public. - Amends TCA Title 4.

SB 1402 would authorize the Tennessee Historical Commission to purchase the James K. Polk Home in Columbia, ending a current trust held by the James K. Polk Memorial Association. The Commission would then contract with a Tennessee nonprofit organization to manage and operate the property as a public museum, maintaining and improving it for visitors. The nonprofit would handle day-to-day operations under Commission guidelines while the Commission retains legal ownership. The bill requires annual reporting to state leaders and specifies that the home must be preserved as a museum open to the public for citizens and future generations.