Legislative Bulletin - Feb 23, 2026

As introduced, authorizes a municipality to create and require the use of a landlord registry for a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, or finances 10 or more dwelling units located within the municipality.

As introduced, prohibits local governmental entities from relocating homeless individuals unless the relocation is coordinated with the receiving jurisdiction; authorizes the attorney general to seek civil penalties for violations; authorizes the receiving jurisdiction to seek damages and injunctive relief for violations.

As introduced, allows a municipal court to order a municipality to remedy a property maintenance ordinance violation when the person or entity found to be in violation of a municipal ordinance related to property maintenance fails to remedy the violation within 30 days; requires the cost of the remediation to be assessed against the property owner in the form of a lien upon the property in favor of the municipality.

As introduced, requires a governing body subject to the open meetings laws to reserve a period of public comment to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on any matter germane to the jurisdiction of the governing body, regardless of whether the matter is listed on the agenda for the meeting

As introduced, adds the governing body of a local education agency and any other local governing body of a public body with the authority to make binding decisions or the ability to appropriate funds to the list of governing bodies that are required to make meeting agendas available to the public in advance of such meetings.

As introduced, expands the applicability of the presumption that a firefighter's cancer was caused by the firefighter's employment to include arson investigators.

As introduced, establishes requirements for entities engaged in business with the public in rounding a cash transaction to the nearest nickel if the penny is no longer in production. 

As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Private Property Vesting Rights of 2026," which entitles a property owner to just compensation from a public entity if the public entity enacts a land use regulation that has the effect of reducing the fair market value of the property.

As introduced, prohibits the enforcement of an ordinance governing the discharge of a firearm within city limits, if the responsible individual(s) is otherwise hunting legally. Accordingly, the only restrictions that may be imposed upon any individual seeking to hunt on his/her private property, another’s private property with consent, or on a designated state hunting area that is located within city limits are those included in state law or TWRA regulations. Therefore, any ordinance that regulates the discharge of firearms within the city or imposes restrictions on hunting for public safety reasons would be preempted and unenforceable if this bill is adopted.

As introduced, permits a local government adopting a prohibition of class 1 or class 2 electric bicycles on a bicycle path or trail in a public park or greenway to submit a copy of the resolution or ordinance to the department of safety; authorizes the department to compile and publish to its website a list of public parks and greenways where such operation is prohibited. 

As introduced, creates the "Tennessee Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund," with monies from the fund to be expended for grants and loans to counties, municipalities, state agencies, and nongovernmental entities for improvement and restoration projects; creates the board of trustees for the trust fund