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HB1176 • 2026

Annexation

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-51-104, relative to annexation.

Active

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

Sponsor
Williams, Bailey
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the cost implications of the bill.

Changes to Annexation Rules

This bill changes Tennessee's laws about when a city can expand its borders without needing a vote from everyone in the area.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows cities to annex land if two-thirds of property owners agree and their properties make up more than half of the proposed annexation area.
  • Requires that the proposed annexation include nine or fewer parcels of land.
  • Changes Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-51-104(a)(2), to reflect these new requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Cities and towns that want to expand their borders.
  • Property owners whose land is proposed for annexation.

Terms To Know

Annexation
The process by which a city or town expands its boundaries to include nearby areas.
Referendum
A vote by the people on an issue, often used in local government decisions like annexation.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much it will cost or save municipalities.
  • It is unclear if this change will lead to more or fewer annexations happening without referendums.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 29, Nays 4

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  10. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026

  11. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/8/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  16. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  17. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  19. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  20. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  21. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  26. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  30. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State & Local Government Committee

  31. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes

a
municipality, when petitioned by interested persons, or upon its own initiative, by resolution,
to
propose extension of its corporate limits by the annexation of territory adjoining to its existing boundaries
. However,
such resolu
tion
must not
propose annexation of property being used primarily for agricultural purposes.
P
roperty being
so
used
must only
be annexed with the written consent of the property owner or owners.

Present law provides that a
referendum is not required to
effectuate annexation of territory if
a
ll of the property owners within the territory proposed for annexation consent in writing
. This bill also provides that a
referendum is not required to effectuate annexation of territory if
all of the following crite
ria are met:



2/3 of the property owners within the territory proposed for annexation consent in writing
.



The
total area of the property owned by the owners consenting to
an
annexation
receiving such consent
is more than 1/2 of the territory proposed for annexation
.



The proposed annexation consists of nine or fewer parcels.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 997
By Bailey

HOUSE BILL 1176
By Williams

HB1176
002539
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-
51-104, relative to annexation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-51-104(a)(2), is amended by
deleting subdivision (B) and substituting:
(B)
(i) Two thirds (2/3) of the property owners within the territory proposed for
annexation consent in writing;
(ii) The total area of the property owned by the owners consenting to
annexation under subdivision (a)(2)(B)(i) is more than one-half (1/2) of the
territory proposed for annexation; and
(iii) The proposed annexation consists of nine (9) or fewer parcels.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.