SB 799 Tennessee Senate · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Election Laws - As enacted, generally requires statewide political parties to nominate their candidates in primary elections for all offices for which partisan elections are held at the regular August or regular November election; authorizes, in a county in which a statewide political party nominated a candidate by a method other than a primary election in 2022 or 2024, the statewide political party in such county to continue to use such method with certain exceptions. - Amends TCA Title 2.

SB 799 requires Tennessee's statewide political parties to use primary elections for nominating candidates for all partisan offices held at August or November elections. This applies to all parties statewide, with a limited exception allowing counties that used non-primary methods in 2022 or 2024 to continue that approach under specific conditions. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 2 to establish this primary election requirement for party nominations. It became effective April 24, 2025, after being signed by the Governor.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Feb 10, 2025 Signed Apr 24, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025 · House Apr 14, 2025

How they voted

323
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 36
Apr 9, 2025
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican30
26 Yea 3 Nay 1
86% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
25
Key actions
10
Committee
5
Amendments
1
Apr 24, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0348)
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., Ayes 60, Nays 25, PNV 2
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0329)
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 3
upper
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/2/2025
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/1/2025
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
RRepublican
TN
27