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HB2115 • 2026

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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.

Active

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

Sponsor
Martin G, Gardenhire
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 summary and text do not provide details on whether other parts of Tennessee's local government laws are amended beyond the specific mention of Titles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 67.

Changing Time for County Consolidation Reports

This bill changes the time limit from 90 to 100 days for a joint committee to report on whether two counties can be combined after receiving a request.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that a joint committee has 100 days instead of 90 days to review and report on county consolidation requests.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Joint committees responsible for reviewing county consolidation petitions in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

county consolidation
The process of combining two or more counties into one larger county.
joint committee
A group made up of members from different parts of the government who work together on a specific task, like reviewing county consolidation requests.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how this change will affect other deadlines or processes in Tennessee's local government laws.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2115

Plain English: This amendment allows municipalities to create a program for inspecting and managing vacant properties that are deteriorating within specific districts to ensure compliance with local codes and promote community health and safety.

  • Municipalities can now establish a vacant property inventory program in certain areas where there is a significant number of deteriorating or potentially deteriorating properties.
  • The program must be limited to areas that meet specific criteria, such as having five or more deteriorated properties within the proposed district.
  • Owners of vacant properties identified by this program will need to register their contact information and pay annual fees up to $500 for public safety and maintenance costs.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how municipalities will define or measure 'vacant' or 'deteriorating' properties.
  • It is unclear what happens if an owner of a vacant property fails to register their contact information or pay the required fees.
Amendment 2-0 to HB2115

Plain English: The amendment adds a new definition for 'vacant property' in certain sections of Tennessee law, specifically excluding residential properties from this definition.

  • Adds a new subsection (g) to the bill that defines 'vacant property' as parcels zoned for commercial or industrial use.
  • Excludes single-family and multi-family residential units from being considered vacant property.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how this definition will be used in practice or its impact on local government policies.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2581

Plain English: This amendment allows municipalities to create a program for inspecting and managing vacant properties that are deteriorating within specific districts to ensure compliance with local codes and promote community health and safety.

  • Municipalities can now establish a vacant property inventory program in certain areas where there is a significant number of deteriorating or soon-to-be-deteriorating properties.
  • The program must be limited to areas that meet specific criteria, such as having five or more deteriorated properties and needing inspections for public health and safety reasons.
  • Municipalities can charge fees on owners of vacant properties within the inventory district to cover costs related to maintaining these properties.
  • The amendment does not provide details about how municipalities will define 'vacant property inspection districts' or what specific actions they must take after identifying deteriorating properties.
  • It is unclear from this text alone how the fees and assessments will be calculated or enforced by local governments.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 0

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/31/2026

  11. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  12. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate State & Local Gov't Committee on 3/31/2026

  13. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  19. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  20. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  21. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  24. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  25. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2581
By Gardenhire

HOUSE BILL 2115
By Martin G
HB2115
012015
- 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 5-3-103(c), is amended by deleting
"ninety (90) days" and substituting "one hundred (100) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.