State and Local Government

SB 1728 prohibits local governments in Tennessee from charging fees, fines, or costs against the owner of a shopping cart found on public property - such as sidewalks or streets - unless the cart was specifically removed from a retail store's premises or parking area by the owner or their employee. This directly affects retail businesses and customers who might otherwise face penalties for carts left in public spaces. The law amends Tennessee Code Sections 5-1-101 and 6-54-101 to block local ordinances that impose such fees, ensuring carts left unattended in public areas cannot be penalized. It takes effect July 1, 2026, applying only to actions after that date.

SB 2162 allows local government bodies (like city councils or school boards) to hold private executive sessions specifically for interviewing director-level job candidates without public notice. The bill requires decisions about hiring to be made in open meetings later, mandates that minutes list attendees (excluding applicants), and lets job applicants request confidentiality for their applications. If selected, applicants' interview materials may become public under records requests, but unselected applicants' materials must stay confidential upon request. This directly affects local hiring processes for senior staff positions and modifies Tennessee's open meetings law (TCA Title 8) to balance privacy for applicants with public transparency.

SB 2248 requires the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and its director to provide written reports to the governor or the governor's designee during emergency conditions, in addition to any existing reporting methods. This directly affects TEMA and its director by mandating documented communication with the governor during crises. The bill amends Tennessee law to clarify that written reports must be submitted alongside other communication channels, ensuring all emergency updates are formally recorded. The change focuses on improving clarity and accountability in emergency management communications without altering substantive emergency response procedures.

SB 2410 establishes Tennessee's Community Workforce Housing Innovation Pilot Program, administered by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The program provides loans for constructing or rehabilitating housing affordable to families earning no more than 150% of the area median income (adjusted for household size), prioritizing projects setting aside at least 80% of units for workforce housing and 50% specifically for essential services personnel (like teachers, first responders, and healthcare workers). It requires applicants to form public-private partnerships, meet minimum funding contribution thresholds (10% of costs or $2 million), and demonstrates innovative design or regulatory incentives. The agency must fund at least one project in each of Tennessee’s three grand divisions (East, Middle, West) by March 2027, with interest forgiveness available for projects meeting affordability and set-aside targets.

SB 1672 extends the deadline for state officials to review and approve long-term tax increment revenue allocations from 30 to 45 days. It specifically applies to allocations for economic impact plans (with terms exceeding 20 years) and redevelopment/community redevelopment plans (with terms exceeding 30 years). The bill amends Tennessee law to change the timeframe for the commissioner of economic and community development and the comptroller to make written determinations on these allocations. This procedural adjustment provides additional time for administrative review without altering the policy substance or requirements.