Legislative Bulletin - Apr 6, 2026

As introduced, authorizes a local government having revenues of at least $20 million in the prior fiscal year to use any project delivery method that the local government determines most effectively meets the needs of the local government for the construction of qualified local projects.

As introduced, requires proposed contingent fee contracts for legal services between a political subdivision of this state and a private-sector attorney to be approved by the attorney general and reporter prior to execution of the contract.

As introduced, specifies circumstances in which a referendum will not be required to effectuate annexation of territory; removes repealer provision for exceptions to the referendum requirement.

As introduced, requires proposed contingent fee contracts for legal services between a political subdivision of this state and a private-sector attorney to be approved by the attorney general and reporter prior to execution of the contract.

As introduced, removes the criminal offense of possession of a weapon in a building or on property that is properly posted; removes the requirement that the department of safety suspend or revoke a handgun carry permit for a violation of that offense by a handgun permit holder. 

As introduced, repeals the criminal offenses of unlawfully carrying a firearm or club with the intent to go armed and carrying or possessing a weapon in or on public parks, playgrounds, civic centers, and other public recreational buildings and grounds; allows persons convicted of stalking or a misdemeanor domestic violence offense to possess a firearm after five years from the date of conviction.

As amended, the legislation is only applicable to the Town of Jonesborough. As introduced, authorizes municipalities to levy a tax on the privilege of engaging in the act of development within the boundaries of the municipality; requires such tax to be levied at the rate and under the terms, conditions, and limitations contained in present law that apply to counties.

As introduced, expands the length of the existing Independence Day and New Year sales periods and adds new Memorial Day and Labor Day sales periods for seasonal retailers of fireworks for the 2026 retail period; increases the seasonal retailer permit fee from $100 to $150 for calendar year 2026; and authorizes the state fire marshal to promulgate rules to effectuate the act.

Requires a law enforcement agency to communicate with local government entities and officials to submit quarterly reports to the Centralized Immigration
Enforcement Division (CIED) within the Department of Safety (DOS) regarding illegal activities, including criminal gang activities and violations of federal immigration laws, of persons who are not lawfully present in the United States. Creates a Class A misdemeanor offense for a law enforcement employee or official that fails to report an individual to the CIED, who is not a United States citizen or qualified alien who has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense.

As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Transactional Gold and Silver Act," which recognizes gold and silver as legal tender for private transactions and, when accepted, for paying state and local taxes or fees; authorizes the creation of a secure bullion depository and an electronic payment system to support the use of gold and silver; exempts gold and silver transactions from state and local taxation.

As amended, requires a municipal electric utility (utility) which provides services to: (1) between 3,500 and 130,000 customers in the home county to
expand the utility board to include one additional voting member for the home county, if the home county chooses to appoint a person; (2) more than 130,000 customers in a the home county to include two additional voting members for the home county, if the county chooses to appoint such persons; (3) no fewer than 3,500 customers in an outside locality, to include one additional voting member for the outside county in which such outside locality is situated, if the county chooses to appoint a person.  As introduced, authorizes the commission to electronically submit to the general assembly its annual report comparing telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, water, and wastewater utility rates between this state and the southeastern states.

As amended, requires the Tennessee Advisory Commission of Intergovernmental Relations to perform an exhaustive study and make recommendations on posting of public notices by local governments within this state. As introduced, authorizes a local government to publish certain notices electronically online for the purposes of satisfying public notice requirements. This is a TML sponsored bill.

As amended, removes the mandate municipal elections become partisan and instead requires all municipal elections be held on either the August or November general elections. As introduced, requires the legislative body of each municipality to change the date of municipal elections to coincide with the August primary or November general election; makes municipal elections partisan.

As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Transactional Gold and Silver Act," which recognizes gold and silver as legal tender for private transactions and, when accepted, for paying state and local taxes or fees; authorizes the creation of a secure bullion depository and an electronic payment system to support the use of gold and silver; exempts gold and silver transactions from state and local taxation.

Proposes an amendment to Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution of Tennessee to change the residency requirements for a judge from being a resident of the circuit or district for one year to being a resident of a county of the respective circuit or district to which the judge is to be assigned for one year.

As introduced, prohibits a local government from increasing a real property tax rate by an amount that would cause the local government to realize an increase in total revenue exceeding inflation plus 2%, or that would cause the local government to realize an increase in total revenue exceeding inflation plus 2% over the preceding three years, except by a referendum election. This bill requires the governing body of a local government to direct the county election commission to hold a referendum election to raise a real property tax rate by an amount that exceeds the limitations described above, upon the adoption of a resolution or ordinance by a two-thirds majority vote. 

As introduced, prohibits an employee of a local government from serving on the legislative body of the local government for which the employee works.

As introduced, requires the executive head of each state department or agency, local government, and public institution of higher education to submit an annual attestation to the comptroller of the treasury that such entity has not implemented a discriminatory preference to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.

As introduced, directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations (TACIR) to perform a study of this state's emergency communications system.

As introduced, removes the requirement that industrial, commercial, or other businesses, permitted to operate under zoning regulations or exceptions thereto, immediately preceding a change in zoning, may only destroy present facilities and reconstruct new facilities necessary to the conduct of such industry or business, subsequent to the zoning change. Removes the requirement that any structure rebuilt on a site conform to existing zoning regulations as to setbacks, height, bulk, or requirements as to the physical location of a structure upon the site.

As introduced, prohibits the state or a county or municipal government, in connection to a development property, from requiring a landowner, developer, or builder to fund, build, or contribute to the development of: (1) nonessential infrastructure that is not contiguous or adjacent to a development property of a landowner, developer, or builder; or (2) nonessential infrastructure beyond the anticipated infrastructure needed for the development property as
estimated at the start of the development of the development property. Specifies that “development of a property” constitutes any point from the initial planning stage through to the completion of the development property.

As amended, requires, by January 1, 2027, the chief law enforcement officer of each county to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with federal officials concerning enforcement of federal immigration laws, detention and removals, and investigations in the state pursuant to federal law. Establishes that a violation of this requirement may result in the state withholding all funds of the state allotted to the LEA or to the local government for use by the LEA. As introduced, requires a local government entity to comply with a court order regarding an unlawful sanctuary policy within 120 days of the issuance of the court's order.

As introduced, specifies circumstances in which a referendum will not be required to effectuate annexation of territory; removes repealer provision for exceptions to the referendum requirement.

As introduced, authorizes local governmental bodies to conduct certain community meetings via electronic means of communication.

Makes various changes to the Real Estate Infrastructure Development Act of 2025 (Act). Authorizes central business improvement districts (CBIDs) to overlap areas within an infrastructure development district (IDD), created by a municipality pursuant to the Act. Clarifies that, when a district must be approved by two or more host municipalities, and a governing body makes approval contingent on the approval of another governing body, host municipalities are authorized to hold separate public hearings. Requires the establishment resolution of an IDD provide the maximum rate of levy of the special
assessment to be imposed. Authorizes a host municipality to issue bonds separately for each phase of development, whose term of life cannot exceed 30 years from the date of issuance of bonds for its respective phase. Revises the term of dissolution for IDDs Specifies that a portion of special assessments, rather than up to five percent, may be set aside for the actual costs of administrative expenses.

Requires a law enforcement agency to communicate with local government entities and officials to submit quarterly reports to the Centralized Immigration
Enforcement Division (CIED) within the Department of Safety (DOS) regarding illegal activities, including criminal gang activities and violations of federal immigration laws, of persons who are not lawfully present in the United States. Creates a Class A misdemeanor offense for a law enforcement employee or official that fails to report an individual to the CIED, who is not a United States citizen or qualified alien who has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense.

As amended, authorizes the board of directors of an industrial development corporation (IDC) to initiate a merger with another IDC in the manner provided for public benefit corporations (PBCs) pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. Title 48, Chapter 61. Authorizes an IDC to negotiate and receive from any lessee of the IDC, without any delegation from the municipality, payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) with respect to tax-credit housing projects, despite such PILOT resulting in a reduction in taxes relative to the tax year prior to the year the project became a tax-credit housing project; provided, the chief executive officer of each affected taxing jurisdiction has executed a letter supporting the project. Requires any agreement to accept or waive PILOTs from any of the IDC's lessees to be submitted to the legislative body of the municipality or municipalities making the delegation and any other taxing jurisdiction affected by the delegation. As introduced, authorizes the board of directors of an industrial development corporation to initiate a merger with another corporation in the manner provided for public benefit corporations under the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act.

As introduced, requires public libraries established by a county, city, or town to adopt a materials reconsideration policy that provides a process by which any legal resident of the county where the library is located may request that the library withdraw an item from the library's collection or reclassify or move the item to a different area in the library.