HB1122 • 2026

Solid Waste Disposal

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 68, Chapter 211; Title 68, Chapter 221 and Title 69, relative to solid waste.

Active

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

Sponsor: Bricken, Bowling
Last action: 2026-02-04
Official status: Taken off notice for cal in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee of Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details about financial impacts beyond mentioning revenue and expenditures for certain areas in Grundy County.

Grundy County Solid Waste Regulation Act

This bill changes state laws to allow Grundy County to regulate certain agricultural activities and wastewater land application instead of the state.

What This Bill Does

Changes state law to let Grundy County make rules about the land application of biosolids, which was previously regulated by the state.
Exempts certain businesses and property uses in Grundy County from state regulations related to water quality control.

Who It Names or Affects

Grundy County residents and businesses
State agencies responsible for environmental regulation

Terms To Know

biosolids: Treated sewage sludge that can be used as fertilizer or disposed of on land.
land application: The process of spreading treated wastewater or biosolids onto the ground for disposal or use as a soil amendment.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill only affects Grundy County and does not apply to other Tennessee counties.
It is unclear how this change will impact environmental protection in Grundy County.

Bill History

2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee of Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 2/4/2026
2026-01-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Meeting Canceled
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 1/28/2026
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee to First Calendar of 2026
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/26/2025
2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee to 3/26/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/5/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law generally prohibits counties from
prohibit
ing
or regulat
ing
normal agricultural activities.
Present law specifically authorizes the commissioner of environment and conservation to
grant
discharge
permits
for the
land application of wastewater
under the Water Quality Control Act. This bil
l transfers such authority from the commissioner to the county commission in Grundy County and exempts Grundy County from the general prohibition against county regulation of normal agricultural activities.

This bill exempts
activities, businesses,
and
u
ses of property and business occupations and practices
located or occurring in Grundy County

from
state regulation
pursuant to the Water Quality Control Act and instead authorizes the county to regulate such property uses, occupations, and practices.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1263
By Bowling

HOUSE BILL 1122
By Bricken

HB1122
002983
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 68, Chapter 211; Title 68, Chapter 221 and
Title 69, relative to solid waste.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-118(b), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(b)
(1) This part does not grant counties the authority to prohibit or regulate
normal agricultural activities.
(2) Subdivision (b)(1) does not apply in any county having a population of
not less than thirteen thousand five hundred (13,500) nor more than thirteen
thousand five hundred fifty (13,550) according to the 2020 federal census or any
subsequent federal census as it pertains to the prohibition or regulation of the
land application of biosolids, which is regulated by such county's legislative body.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-118(c)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(2)
(A) The powers granted by § 6-2-201(22) and (23) do not apply to those
activities, businesses, or uses of property and business occupations and
practices that are subject to regulation pursuant to title 57, chapters 5 and 6; title
59, chapter 8; title 60, chapter 1; title 68, chapters 201-221; or title 69, chapters
3, 7, 10, and 11.

- 2 - 002983

(B) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(2)(A), activities, businesses, or uses
of property and business occupations and practices are not subject to state
regulation pursuant to title 69, chapter 3, but may instead be regulated by a
county pursuant to the powers granted by § 6-2-201(22) and (23) in any county
having a population of not less than thirteen thousand five hundred (13,500) nor
more than thirteen thousand five hundred fifty (13,550) according to the 2020
federal census or any subsequent federal census as it pertains to the prohibition
or regulation of the land application of biosolids, which is regulated by such
county's legislative body.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 69-3-108(g), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(6) The permitting authority granted under this subsection (g) does not apply to
the prohibition or regulation of the land application of biosolids in any county having a
population of not less than thirteen thousand five hundred (13,500) nor more than
thirteen thousand five hundred fifty (13,550) according to the 2020 federal census or any
subsequent federal census. The county legislative body of the county described in this
subdivision (g)(6) is granted such permitting authority.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.