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HB0881 • 2026

Water Pollution

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, relative to subsurface sewage disposal systems.

Active

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

Sponsor
Travis, Watson
Last action
2025-02-10
Official status
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information about whether the bill maintains the requirement for initial permits and fees for septic system installers, so this claim was removed.

Water Pollution: Septic System Installer Fees

This bill removes the requirement for installers of subsurface sewage disposal systems to pay a renewal fee when renewing their septic system installer license if they are in good standing with the department.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee law by adding a new subsection to an existing code section.
  • Prohibits the Department of Environment and Conservation from requiring installers who are in good standing to pay renewal fees for their licenses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Installers of subsurface sewage disposal systems
  • The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Terms To Know

Subsurface sewage disposal systems
Systems that treat and dispose of wastewater underground, such as septic tanks.
Septic system installer license
A permit required for individuals to install subsurface sewage disposal systems in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what 'good standing' means or how it is determined.
  • It remains unclear if there will be any financial impact on the Environmental Protection Fund due to this change.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

  2. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  3. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  5. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

  6. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  7. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  8. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  9. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  10. 2025-01-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law requires

a
person proposing to construct, alter, extend
,
or repair subsurface sewage disposal systems, or engag
e
in the business of removing accumulated wastes from such systems,
to
secure a permit from the commissioner

of enviro
nment and conservation
. This bill prohibits the department
of environment and conservation
from requiring
an installer of subsurface sewage disposal systems who is in good standing with the department to pay a renewal fee as a condition to renewing the in
staller's septic system installer license.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 283
By Watson

HOUSE BILL 881
By Travis

HB0881
001699
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,
Chapter 221, relative to subsurface sewage
disposal systems.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-221-409, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(e) Notwithstanding this part or a rule to the contrary, the department shall not
require an installer of subsurface sewage disposal systems who is in good standing with
the department to pay a renewal fee as a condition to renewing the installer's septic
system installer license.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.