Local Government, General

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about how the new duties for attorneys will be funded, nor does it specify what actions local governments must take to comply with the ban on guaranteed income programs.

Local Government Rules for Tennessee

This bill prohibits local governments in Tennessee from creating or enforcing rules that give unconditional cash payments to individuals as part of guaranteed income programs and adds new duties for city and county attorneys to advise officials on federal and state laws.

What This Bill Does

• Prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing rules that provide unconditional cash payments to individuals under a guaranteed income program.
• Adds a requirement for county attorneys to advise elected county officials, their deputies, and employees on the proper application of federal and state laws related to their jobs.
• Adds a similar requirement for city attorneys to provide advice to elected city officials, their deputies, and employees about applying federal and state laws correctly.

Who It Names or Affects

• County attorneys in Tennessee
• City attorneys in Tennessee
• Elected county officials, their deputies, and employees
• Elected city officials, their deputies, and employees

Terms To Know

guaranteed income program

A program that gives regular cash payments to individuals without any conditions attached.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the new duties for attorneys will be funded.
• It is unclear what specific actions local governments must take to comply with the ban on guaranteed income programs.

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 9, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 351, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, prohibit
a county, incorporated city or town, metropolitan government, or an agency or unit thereof, or other political subdivision of this state
from
adopt
ing
or enforc
ing
an ordinance, resolution, regulation, code, requirement, or policy that has the purpose or effect of making a payment to an individual under a guaranteed income program.
As used in this amendment, a "
guaranteed income program
" (i) m
eans a program under which an individual is issued an unconditional cash payment on a regular basis to be used for any purpose by the individual; and
(ii) d
oes not include a program under which an individual is required to seek reemployment, perform work, or attend work training as a condition of a cash payment
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 351
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 337
By Gillespie

HB0337
001932
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12 and Title 13, relative
to local government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
In addition to any other duties prescribed to the county attorney by general law,
private act, or county ordinance, the county attorney shall consult with and advise
elected county officials, elected county officials' deputies, and elected county officials'
employees as to the proper application and enforcement of federal and state laws that
are pertinent to carrying out the duties of the county officials' respective offices.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 6, Chapter 54, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section:
In addition to any other duties prescribed to the city attorney by general law,
private act, or city ordinance, the city attorney shall consult with and advise elected city
officials, elected city officials' deputies, and elected city officials' employees as to the
proper application and enforcement of federal and state laws that are pertinent to
carrying out the duties of the city officials' respective offices.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.