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HB0139 • 2026

Election Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 6, Part 5 and Title 2, Chapter 9, relative to online voting.

Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Warner, Hensley
Last action
2025-03-25
Official status
No Action Taken
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide details about what happens if someone tries to use online voting when it is not allowed, so this remains an unknown.

Online Voting Rules

This bill changes Tennessee's election laws to prohibit online voting except for military personnel and citizens living abroad.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes rules about using internet for voting in elections.
  • Does not allow regular voters to use the internet to vote, but allows it for military members and people outside the country.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Voters who want to cast ballots over the internet
  • Military personnel and citizens living abroad

Terms To Know

Online Voting
Using the internet to vote in elections.
Election Laws
Rules that govern how elections are run, including voting methods and procedures.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if someone tries to use online voting when it is not allowed.
  • The bill does not change other parts of Tennessee's election laws except for the specific sections mentioned.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to SB0159

Plain English: The amendment adds a new rule that says counties in Tennessee cannot count votes sent through the internet.

  • Adds a new subsection (d) to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-9-110, which prohibits county election commissions from counting ballots submitted via the internet.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens to online votes that are already marked but not counted.
  • It is unclear if this change affects any existing or future plans for online voting in Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  2. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1

  3. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/25/2025

  4. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  5. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2025

  6. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Def. to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  7. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/18/2025

  8. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  9. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee to 3/11/2025

  10. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/4/2025

  11. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee to 3/4/2025

  12. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 2/25/2025

  13. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  14. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  15. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  16. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk pending appointment of Standing Committees

  17. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  18. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  19. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  20. 2025-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 159
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 139
By Warner

HB0139
000763
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
Chapter 6, Part 5 and Title 2, Chapter 9, relative to
online voting.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-9-110, is amended by adding the
following new subsection (d):
(d) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, voting equipment and machines
must not transmit or receive a ballot, or otherwise be used to cast a ballot, using the
internet, except as authorized for members of the military and overseas citizens in
accordance with chapter 6, part 5 of this title.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.