Tennessee Bills

SB 2176 repeals a 2007 local law that designated Roane County's top official as "County Executive" instead of the standard "County Mayor" used in most Tennessee counties. The bill aligns Roane County's title with Tennessee's general law (TCA § 5-6-101), reducing confusion during inter-county projects. It requires Roane County's legislative body to approve the change by a two-thirds vote before taking effect. This directly affects Roane County's leadership title and administrative processes, but does not alter the official's duties or powers.

SB 2689 establishes the elected position of County Highway Supervisor for Weakley County, Tennessee, to lead the county's road and bridge maintenance operations. It sets specific qualifications for the role, requiring candidates to be at least 25 years old, residents of Weakley County for two years, and either hold an engineering degree with two years of highway experience or have four years of supervisory highway work experience. Starting with the August 2026 election, the supervisor will be chosen by a majority vote of qualified county residents every four years, with the current supervisor continuing until their term ends. The bill requires approval by a two-thirds vote of Weakley County's legislative body to take effect.

SB 2696 amends an existing 1997 law to change how Cheatham County's $7,500 development impact fee (known as the Cheatham County Development Tax) is allocated. The bill requires 46.67% of the fee ($3,500) to fund the general education debt service, another 46.67% ($3,500) to a dedicated fund for school building construction and renovation, and 6.66% ($500) for highway and public works projects. This reallocation applies only to new developments subject to the fee and requires approval by a two-thirds vote of Cheatham County's legislative body. The bill does not create new taxes but modifies the distribution of an existing fee.

SB 2694 amends Shelbyville's utility governance by removing the city manager from the Power, Water and Sewerage System Board and replacing that position with an additional city council member. This changes the board composition from five citizen members plus two city council members to five citizen members plus three city council members. The bill requires Shelbyville's city council to approve the change by a two-thirds vote before it takes effect. The legislation does not affect current board members' terms or the board's existing compensation rules.

SB 2697 would amend Springfield's city charter to allow relatives of city employees to be hired in departments *other than* the employee's department, while maintaining existing bans on hiring relatives of elected officials or city managers. This change would directly affect Springfield city employees and their relatives, as well as the city's hiring practices. The bill requires Springfield's city council to approve the change by a two-thirds vote before it takes effect. If approved, it would modify the current "nepotism" rule that previously prohibited hiring relatives in the same department.

SB 2695 would reorganize Cheatham County's school governance by creating seven school districts (up from six) for the 2032 election cycle. Each district would elect one board member, increasing the total board size from six to seven members. The bill requires approval by Cheatham County's legislative body before implementation and ensures current board members serve out their terms while a new member is elected in 2032 to fill the additional seat. This change directly affects Cheatham County residents by altering local school board election structures and representation.

HB 2313 authorizes Tennessee's Department of Health to establish a voluntary, home-based mental health program for children from birth to age five and their families. It directly affects families facing stressors like poverty, trauma, or parental mental health challenges by providing evidence-based home visits from licensed clinicians. Key provisions include home-based therapy, care coordination to connect families with services, developmental assessments, and strict quality standards to ensure program effectiveness. The program must prioritize at-risk families, coordinate with existing services, and report annually on outcomes and funding to the legislature.

SB 2158 amends Tennessee law to clarify procedures for the Joint Committee on Ways and Means regarding federal aid review. It directly affects state agencies (like the courts or treasury departments) receiving federal funds by changing when they must notify the committee. The key change allows the committee to issue notice that a hearing won’t be held for federal aid under $25 million, rather than requiring hearings for all such cases. For aid of $25 million or more, the committee still must review applications or acceptances through hearings or formal approval. The bill streamlines the process for smaller federal aid amounts while maintaining oversight for larger ones.

SB 2699 changes how Athens, Tennessee's mayor and city council members are compensated by shifting authority from fixed pay amounts to local city council decisions. It requires the Athens City Council to set compensation through a local ordinance (approved by a two-thirds vote), rather than using specific dollar figures established by state law. The bill explicitly states it does not change current pay levels for sitting officials, only the process for future adjustments. Compensation changes would take effect for new terms, not during current terms of office. This is a procedural change affecting Athens' local governance process, not a policy shift in pay amounts.

SB 2700 increases the monthly salary for Greenbrier city aldermen from $120 to $300, effective after the current term ends for sitting officials. It replaces specific purchasing limits in Greenbrier's charter with requirements to follow state law, streamlining procurement rules. The bill requires a two-thirds vote approval by Greenbrier's city council to take effect. This change directly affects Greenbrier's local government operations and the compensation of its elected city council members.

HB 2639 allows Henry County, Tennessee, to impose a severance tax on the extraction of clay, titanium, and other untaxed minerals within its borders. This tax directly affects mineral extraction companies and landowners operating mines in Henry County. The bill sets the tax rate to match Tennessee’s maximum per-ton mineral tax rate (under §67-7-203), with automatic adjustments if state law changes, and requires all collected revenue (minus administrative costs) to fund only county road construction, maintenance, and repairs. The tax becomes effective only if Henry County’s legislative body approves it with a two-thirds vote.

HB 2637 changes how Athens' mayor and city council members are paid by requiring their compensation to be set through local city council ordinances instead of fixed state-mandated amounts. This bill directly affects future mayors and council members in Athens, as their pay would be determined by the city council via ordinance, with no changes applying during current terms. Key provisions include requiring a two-thirds vote of the Athens city council to adopt the compensation method and ensuring current pay rates remain unchanged for sitting officials. The bill amends specific historical city charter provisions to shift this authority to local government.