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HB0519 • 2026

State Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, relative to state government.

Budget
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cepicky, Hensley
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1054
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the amount of funds available for repairs or which nonprofit corporation might manage the property.

Changes to State Management of James K. Polk Home

This bill ends the role of the James K. Polk Memorial Association and transfers management responsibilities for the James K. Polk Home in Columbia, Tennessee, to the Tennessee Historical Commission.

What This Bill Does

  • Ends the work of the James K. Polk Memorial Association which was responsible for restoring and maintaining the home.
  • Gives the Tennessee Historical Commission responsibility for negotiating the purchase and transfer of the James K. Polk Home.
  • Allows the commission to spend money on repairing, renovating, and restoring the home.
  • Requires the commission to report annually about the condition and management of the home to state leaders.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Historical Commission
  • A Tennessee nonprofit corporation organized for the express purpose of restoring, maintaining, and operating the James K. Polk Home

Terms To Know

Tennessee Historical Commission
A state agency responsible for preserving and promoting historical sites.
James K. Polk Memorial Association
An organization that used to manage the restoration of the James K. Polk Home in Columbia, Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be available for repairs and improvements.
  • It is unclear which nonprofit corporation might take over management of the home.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0519

Plain English: House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.

  • House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB0519 Crawford Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 599 House Bill No.
  • 519* HA0614 009744 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0599

Plain English: Senate State and Local Government 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate State and Local Government 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB0599 Briggs Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 599 House Bill No.
  • 519* SA0472 009744 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1054

  2. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/22/2026, 07/01/2026

  3. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 1054

  4. 2026-05-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-05-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-05-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-04-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 88, Nays 4, PNV 1

  12. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0614)

  13. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  15. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  16. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  18. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for adopt by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  19. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026

  20. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  21. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  23. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  25. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  26. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  27. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  28. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 2

  29. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0472)

  30. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  31. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/19/2026

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  33. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  34. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/10/2026

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  36. 2026-01-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  37. 2026-01-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  38. 2025-10-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  39. 2025-10-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  40. 2025-09-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  41. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  43. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  44. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  45. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  46. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON FEBRUARY 19, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 599, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, terminate the James K. Polk Memorial Association and require the Tennessee historical commission ("commission") to enter into good faith negotiations for the purchase and transfer of the James K. Polk Home in C
olumbia. Present law conveyed the James K. Polk home to the James K. Polk Memorial Association in trust for the restoration and preservation of the property. This amendment authorizes the commission to expend funds appropriated or available to it for th
e
repair, renovation, and restoration of the James K. Polk Home, and the improvement of the premises.

This amendment provides that the commission will hold legal title to the James K. Polk Home. However, the commission may assign actual custody and control of the property to a Tennessee nonprofit corporation organized for the express
purpose of restoring, maintaining, and operating the James K. Polk Home and its premises.
Such a nonprofit corporation may operate and manage the James K. Polk Home on behalf of the commission for the general public and to keep the James K. Polk Home and property in a high s
tate of improvement and repair in a manner consistent with guidelines promulgated by the commission.

Present law requires the James K. Polk Memorial Associate to make an annual report to the governor of its performance in restoring and maintaining the James K. Polk Home. This amendment requires the commission to make such an annual report to the govern
or and the speakers of the senate and house of representatives.

This amendment clarifies that it is not an appropriation of funds, and that funds must not be obligated or expended pursuant to it unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general appropriations act.

This amendment requires the commission to notify the executive secretary of the Tennessee code commission in writing of the purchase and transfer of the James K. Polk Home.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 599
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 519
By Cepicky
HB0519
002205
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
relative to state government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-52-109, is amended by deleting the
language "ninety (90) days" and substituting "one hundred eighty (180) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.