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HB1645 • 2026

Tipton County

AN ACT relative to the designation of a division of the General Sessions Court of Tipton County as the Environmental Court.

Housing Land
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Moody, Rose
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for his action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how the court would handle cases beyond what is listed in the official source material.

Tipton County Environmental Court Act

This act allows Tipton County to designate a division of its General Sessions Court as the Environmental Court if approved by two-thirds of the county's legislative body.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Tipton County legislative body to designate a division of the county's general sessions court as the Environmental Court, subject to local approval.
  • Gives the judge of the Environmental Court power to issue injunctions and order defendants to correct violations at their own expense.
  • Enables the appointment of a master to assist the court in cases involving health, housing, fire safety, land use, building, or zoning ordinances.
  • Permits the judge to try and dispose of violations of municipal ordinances within Tipton County related to health, housing, fire safety, land use, building, or zoning.
  • Allows for punishment of contempt if a person fails to correct an ordinance violation as ordered by the court.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tipton County legislative body
  • Defendants who violate county and municipal ordinances
  • Courts within Tipton County

Terms To Know

injunctions
Orders from a judge that require someone to do or not do something.
master
A person appointed by the court to help with specific tasks in legal proceedings.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act requires local approval through a two-thirds vote of Tipton County's legislative body.
  • If not approved, the act will have no effect and cannot be implemented.
  • The effective date depends on whether it is locally approved or rejected.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  5. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  6. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  7. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  8. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Local Calendar for 3/23/2026

  9. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  10. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  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. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  15. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to State & Local Government Committee

  17. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 2/9/2026

  18. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Private Acts Committee - State & Local Government Committee

  19. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  20. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  21. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, held on desk. Local Bill

  22. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  23. 2025-12-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1483
By Rose

HOUSE BILL 1645
By Moody
HB1645
010145
- 1 -

AN ACT relative to the designation of a division of the General
Sessions Court of Tipton County as the Environmental
Court.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. The legislative body of Tipton County may designate a division of the
county's general sessions court as the Environmental Court.
SECTION 2. In making such designation, the judge of the Environmental Court is
granted the additional power to issue injunctions, both mandatory and prohibitory, as provided in
Rule 65 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. The judge may order any defendant found
guilty of violating any county ordinance relating to health, housing, fire, land subdivision, building
or zoning, to correct such violation at the defendant's own expense. In a case involving the
alleged violation of any ordinance relating to health, housing, fire, land subdivision, building or
zoning, the judge may appoint a master to aid the court. Rule 53 of the Tennessee Rules of
Civil Procedure shall govern the appointment, power, and duty of the master.
SECTION 3. The judge of the Environmental Court shall also have the jurisdiction to try
and dispose of violations of ordinances enacted by municipalities within Tipton County relating
to health, housing, fire, land subdivision, building, or zoning.
SECTION 4. The judge may also punish any person for contempt who, having been
ordered to correct a violation of any county or municipal ordinance relating to health, housing,
fire, land subdivision, building or zoning, willfully fails to obey such order within the designated
day and at the designated time as given by such court order. The punishment for contempt in
each such case is limited to a monetary penalty not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) and
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days for each such violation.

- 2 - 010145

SECTION 5. If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the
act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the
provisions of this act are declared to be severable.
SECTION 6. This act shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote
of the legislative body of Tipton County. Its approval or nonapproval shall be proclaimed by the
presiding officer of the legislative body and certified to the secretary of state.
SECTION 7. For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall
be effective upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, it shall
become effective as provided in Section 6.