HB0686 • 2026

Historical Sites and Preservation

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 9 and Title 13, relative to the "African American Cultural and Historical Grant Act."

Active

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

Sponsor: Camper, Akbari
Last action: 2026-04-08
Official status: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on initial funding amounts or detailed application criteria beyond general guidelines set by the commission.

African American Cultural and Historical Grant Act

This bill establishes a grant fund within Tennessee's state general fund to support capital projects that highlight African American contributions, culture, or history.

What This Bill Does

Creates the African American cultural and historical grant fund within the state general fund.
Requires the Tennessee Historical Commission to manage the fund and distribute grants based on specific guidelines.
Prioritizes grants for new facilities highlighting African American heritage or significant renovations of existing sites with great cultural significance.
Limits administrative expenses to no more than 5% of the total amount appropriated each fiscal year.
Requires an annual report to be submitted by the commission detailing grant allocations and program status.

Who It Names or Affects

The Tennessee Historical Commission
Entities and facilities applying for grants from the fund

Terms To Know

Tennessee Historical Commission: A state agency responsible for preserving and promoting historical sites in Tennessee.
Uniform Administrative Procedures Act: A law that sets rules for creating regulations to implement laws, ensuring transparency and public involvement.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be initially allocated to the fund.
It is unclear what specific criteria applicants must meet beyond general guidelines set by the commission.
The exact impact on historical preservation efforts in Tennessee remains uncertain until the program is implemented.

Amendments

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

HA0346

Amendment 1-0 to HB0686

Plain English: This amendment creates a new fund within Tennessee's state general fund called the 'African American Cultural and Historical Grant Fund' to support projects highlighting African American contributions, culture, and history.

Establishes a special account in the state general fund for grants supporting capital projects that highlight African American contributions, culture, and history.
Requires the Tennessee Historical Commission to administer the fund and allocate grants based on established guidelines.
Limits administrative expenses to no more than five percent of the total amount appropriated annually.

The amendment does not specify how much money will be initially allocated to the fund or what specific projects would qualify for funding beyond general criteria.

SA0301

Amendment 1-0 to SB1172

Plain English: This amendment creates a new fund within Tennessee's state general fund to support capital projects highlighting African American contributions, culture, and history.

Establishes an 'African American Cultural and Historical Grant Fund' in the state general fund.
Sets up guidelines for allocating grants to entities and facilities that enhance cultural significance or restore historic places named after significant African Americans.
Requires the Tennessee Historical Commission to manage the fund, allocate grants, and submit annual reports.

The amendment text does not specify how much money will be initially allocated to the fund.

SA0441

Amendment 2-0 to SB1172

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific part of the bill that was related to the 'African American Cultural and Historical Grant Act'.

Removes subsection (d) from Section 2 of the bill.

The exact content of the removed subsection (d) is not provided, so it's unclear what specific changes this removal will cause.
Without knowing the original text of subsection (d), we cannot explain how other parts of the bill are affected by its removal.

Bill History

2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to Final Calendar No. 2
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025
2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/16/2025
2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/21/2025
2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Re-refer to Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025
2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025
2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/14/2025
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025
2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/1/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Public Service Subcommittee to 3/19/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Public Service Subcommittee to 3/12/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/5/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee- Government Operations for Review
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill enacts
the "African American Cultural and Historical Grant Act
,
"
which creates
within the state general fund a
special account to be known as the African American cultural and historical grant fund. The purpose of the fund is to support capital projects at facilities in this state that highlight the contributions,

culture, or history of African Americans. The Ten
nessee historical commission
("commission") must
administer the fund
, which is
composed of money appropriated by the general assembly for the fund, and gifts, grants, and other donations received by the commission for the fund.

DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS

Subject to the availability of funds,
this bill requires
the commission
to
allocate and disperse grants to entities and facilities to effectuate this
bill
. The commission
must
establish and publish guidelines for applications, including eligibility, and t
he award of grants. Priority for grants must be given to projects that encourage the design or construction of a new facility in which no facility exists or the renovation of an existing facility in an area with great cultural significance; enhance the b
e
auty or aesthetic value of facilities named for significant African Americans; or restore facilities on the national register of historic places. Money in the fund may be used by the commission for program administration, marketing expenses, and program
e
valuation
.

H
owever, such expenses must not exceed 5% of the total amount appropriated for the program in any fiscal year.

ANNUAL REPORT

This bill requires t
he commission
to
submit an annual report to the finance, ways and means committees of the senate
and the committee of the house of representatives with jurisdiction over finance by March 1 of each year on the status of this program and the allocation of grant funds.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes t
he commission
to
promulgate rules necessary to ef
fectuate this
bill
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1172
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 686
By Camper

HB0686
002681
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 9 and Title 13, relative to the "African
American Cultural and Historical Grant Act."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "African American Cultural and
Historical Grant Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 11, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) There is created within the state general fund a special account to be known
as the African American cultural and historical grant fund. The purpose of the fund is to
support capital projects at facilities in this state that highlight the contributions,
culture, or history of African Americans.
(b) The Tennessee historical commission shall administer the fund.
(c) The fund is composed of money appropriated by the general assembly for
the fund, and gifts, grants, and other donations received by the commission for the fund.
(d) Subject to the availability of funds, the commission shall allocate and
disperse grants to entities and facilities to effectuate this section. The commission shall
establish and publish guidelines for applications, including eligibility, and the award of
grants. Priority for grants must be given to projects that encourage the design or
construction of a new facility in which no facility exists or the renovation of an existing
facility in an area with great cultural significance; enhance the beauty or aesthetic value
of facilities named for significant African Americans; or restore facilities on the national
register of historic places. Money in the fund may be used by the commission for

- 2 - 002681

program administration, marketing expenses, and program evaluation; however, such
expenses must not exceed five percent (5%) of the total amount appropriated for the
program in any fiscal year.
(e) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund for the benefit of the fund
in accordance with § 9-4-603. Interest accruing on investments and deposits of the fund
must be credited to and remain part of the fund. Any unencumbered moneys and any
unexpended balance of the fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year do not revert to the
general fund, but must be carried forward until expended in accordance with this section.
(f) The commission shall submit an annual report to the finance, ways and
means committees of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives with
jurisdiction over finance by March 1, 2026, and by March 1 of each subsequent year on
the status of this program and the allocation of grant funds.
(g) The commission may promulgate rules necessary to effectuate this section.
The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative
Procedures Act, compiled in chapter 5 of this title.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.