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HB1553 • 2026

Secretary of State

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 48, relative to nonprofit entities.

Active

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

Sponsor
Lynn, Jackson
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to Nonprofit Rules in Tennessee

This bill changes rules for nonprofits and charitable organizations in Tennessee by removing fees and requirements when they stop operating or soliciting funds.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the fee that a nonprofit must pay to end its operations with the state.
  • Extends from 30 days to 90 days the time a person has after stopping fundraising activities to notify the secretary of state.
  • Eliminates the need for large charities (those earning over $1 million) to submit detailed financial reports when they stop soliciting funds.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Nonprofit organizations in Tennessee
  • Charitable organizations that earn more than $1 million annually

Terms To Know

Secretary of State
The official who oversees the registration and regulation of businesses, nonprofits, and other entities within a state.
Articles of termination
Documents filed with the government to officially end the existence of a corporation or nonprofit organization.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be saved by removing fees and requirements.
  • It is unclear if there are any other impacts on state revenue from these changes.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1553

Plain English: The amendment removes fees for terminating a nonprofit corporation's existence and updates requirements for notifying the secretary of state when solicitation activities end.

  • Removes any fee required for filing articles to terminate a nonprofit corporation's existence.
  • Requires individuals or organizations that stop soliciting after registering with the secretary of state to notify the secretary within ninety days and provide financial documentation.
  • The amendment text does not specify what kind of financial documentation is required under subsection (b).

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  4. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  5. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  6. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/18/2026

  9. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 2/18/2026

  10. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  11. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/11/2026

  12. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 2/10/2026

  14. 2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/3/2026

  15. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  16. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 1/27/2026

  17. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  18. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  19. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  20. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  21. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  23. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1639
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 1553
By Lynn
HB1553
010260
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 48,
relative to nonprofit entities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 48-51-303(a), is amended by
deleting subdivision (21) and substituting:
(21) Articles of termination of corporation existence………………………... No fee
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 48-101-506(h), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(h) Any person that ceases solicitation activities after registration must, within
ninety (90) days after solicitation activities end, notify the secretary of state of the
ceasing of solicitation activities and file with the secretary of state financial
documentation required under subdivision (b)(1).
SECTION 3. This act takes effect on July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.