HB1796 • 2026

County Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 12 and Title 67, relative to local government.

Housing Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: Hicks T, Crowe
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the broader updates to Tennessee's laws about local government, only specifying the reduction in posting time for charter changes.

Changes to County Charter Posting Time

This bill changes how long counties in Tennessee have to post updates to their charters online.

What This Bill Does

Reduces the time a county has to put changes to its charter on its website from three months to two months.

Who It Names or Affects

Counties in Tennessee that need to update their charters online.

Terms To Know

Charter: A document that outlines the rules and structure of a county's government.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if counties do not post their charter changes within two months.
It is unclear how this change will affect the public's ability to access updated information about local governments.

Amendments

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

HA1133

Amendment 1-0 to HB1796

Plain English: The amendment adds new provisions to Tennessee law that allow certain local governments to create and manage affordable housing developments specifically for essential employees.

Adds a new chapter in Title 9 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, titled 'Essential Governmental Employee Housing Act of 2026'.
Defines key terms such as 'essential employee', 'essential housing development', and 'local government' with specific criteria for eligibility.
Allows local governments to acquire, develop, lease, operate, and maintain essential housing developments through their housing authority.
Permits local governments to issue bonds or notes to fund the acquisition or improvement of these housing developments.

The amendment text is truncated at the end, so some details about the full scope of powers and limitations are not provided.

HA1134

Amendment 2-0 to HB1796

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition of 'regional retail tourism development district' to specify that it must be located in a county with at least 100,000 residents and meet certain geographic criteria.

Changes the population requirement for counties eligible to create regional retail tourism development districts from an unspecified number to at least 100,000 people based on the most recent federal census.
Adds requirements that the district must border a county with two existing border region retail tourism development districts and be within half a mile of an interstate exit and twenty miles from borders of two neighboring states.

The amendment text does not specify which counties currently meet these criteria or how many new districts might qualify under the revised rules.

SA0980

Amendment 1-0 to SB1849

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition of a 'regional retail tourism development district' to include specific criteria for its location and size.

Changes the population requirement for counties eligible to create regional retail tourism development districts from an unspecified number to at least 100,000 people based on the most recent federal census.
Specifies that a county must border another county with two certified border region retail tourism development districts.
Limits the distance of the district's boundary from an interstate exit and state borders.
Sets a maximum size for the district at 950 acres.

The amendment text does not specify all details about how these changes will be implemented or enforced.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/13/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/15/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/14/2026
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026
2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/31/2026
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate State & Local Gov't Committee on 3/24/2026
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1849
By Harshbarger

HOUSE BILL 1796
By Hicks T
HB1796
010943
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 12 and Title 67,
relative to local government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-127(b), is amended by deleting
the language "three (3)" and substituting instead "two (2)".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.