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

HB2202 • 2026

Environment and Conservation, Department of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 11, Chapter 13 and Title 68, Chapter 211, relative to environmental protection.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Keisling, Yager
Last action
2026-03-31
Official status
Failed in Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included additional provisions about prohibiting and allowing landfill activities which are not supported by the provided official source material.

Changing Time for River Designation

This bill changes the time limit from two years to twenty-seven months for setting boundaries of a scenic river area after adding a new segment.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the time limit from two years to twenty-seven months for setting boundaries of a scenic river area following the addition of a new segment.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Terms To Know

Class II scenic river
A type of protected waterway that has special natural beauty and recreational value.
National River and Recreation Area
A federal park area set aside to protect rivers and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.
  • It is unclear how many landfills will be affected by the landfill prohibition rules as this part of the candidate explanation is not supported by the official source material.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to SB2172

Plain English: This amendment adds protections for certain rivers in Tennessee by designating specific river segments as Class II Pastoral River Areas and restricting landfill operations near these areas.

  • Designates the entire segment of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Scott County as a Class II Pastoral River Area.
  • Prohibits new landfills from being built within counties where two rivers join to form a Class II river that flows through a national river and recreation area, but allows existing landfills to renew permits or expand under certain conditions.
  • Exempts specific landfills operating with valid permits on January 1, 2026, from the restrictions imposed by this act.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how existing landfills will be affected or what happens to new landfill applications after the law takes effect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  2. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/31/2026

  3. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee to 3/31/2026

  4. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/24/2026

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  8. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  10. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0697)

  12. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  18. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  19. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/11/2026

  21. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  22. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

  24. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  25. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  26. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2172, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 r
ewrites this bill to designate all of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Scott County as a Class II scenic river.

This amendment generally prohibits the permitting of a new landfill for
the disposal of solid or hazardous wastes within the entirety of the territory of a county in which two rivers join to form a Class II river that flows through a national river and recreation area and, upon crossing the border of that county, enters the t
erritory of a neighboring state
. Such prohibition does not prohibit permit renewal for, or expansion of, a landfill that is operating under a valid permit on the date that this bill b
ecomes a law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2172
By Yager

HOUSE BILL 2202
By Keisling
HB2202
009881
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 11,
Chapter 13 and Title 68, Chapter 211, relative to
environmental protection.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 11-13-108(a), is amended by
deleting "two (2) years" and substituting "twenty-seven (27) months".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.