KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB1571 • 2026

Sunset Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 1 and Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 2, relative to the department of agriculture.

Agriculture
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Lafferty, Jackson
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 641
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact date of effectiveness beyond stating it takes effect upon becoming a law.

Sunset Laws for Tennessee Agriculture

This bill extends the existence of the Department of Agriculture in Tennessee until June 30, 2030.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes a specific part from an existing law about when certain government programs end.
  • Adds a new section to include the Department of Agriculture under laws that determine when departments can be closed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Department of Agriculture
  • People who work for or interact with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Terms To Know

Sunset Laws
Laws that set a date after which a government program or department will end unless it is renewed.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens to the Department of Agriculture after June 30, 2030.
  • It's unclear if there are other departments affected by similar laws that this bill might impact indirectly.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 641

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/01/2026

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 641

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/16/2026

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026

  14. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  15. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/9/2026

  16. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Government Operations Committee to 3/9/2026

  17. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/2/2026

  18. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  20. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2026-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/9/2026

  22. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Government Operations Committee calendar for 2/4/2026

  24. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Government Operations Committee

  25. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Government Operations Committee calendar for 1/28/2026

  26. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  27. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Government Operations Committee

  28. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  29. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2026-01-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1512
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 1571
By Lafferty
HB1571
010069
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 29; Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 1 and Title 4,
Chapter 3, Part 2, relative to the department of
agriculture.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-29-247(a), is amended by deleting
subdivision (17).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-29-251(a), is amended by inserting
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) Department of agriculture, created by §§ 4-3-101 and 4-3-201;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.