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HB2205 • 2026

Water

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, relative to water.

Active

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

Sponsor
Keisling, Yager
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Comp. SB subst.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the amount of money available for loans, nor does it specify if this change will lead to more or better water systems in rural areas.

Water System Project Priority Act

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to prioritize water system projects in counties with fewer than 57,000 people for loans from the Water System Revolving Loan Fund.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule that says water system projects located in rural counties should be given special attention when deciding which projects get loans from the Water System Revolving Loan Fund.
  • Defines 'rural county' as any county with fewer than 57,000 people based on the latest census data or subsequent censuses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
  • Water system projects in rural counties

Terms To Know

rural county
A county with fewer than 57,000 people based on the latest census data or subsequent censuses.
water system revolving loan fund
A fund that provides loans to help pay for water system projects.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be available in the Water System Revolving Loan Fund.
  • It is unclear if this change will lead to more or better water systems in rural areas.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  4. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 2

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/6/2026

  8. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  9. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  10. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  13. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  14. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/16/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  17. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  22. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  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

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2175
By Yager

HOUSE BILL 2205
By Keisling
HB2205
010199
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,
Chapter 221, relative to water.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-221-1205(c), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(4) Are located in a rural county. As used in this subsection (c), "rural county"
means a county having a population of less than fifty-seven thousand (57,000),
according to the 2020 or a subsequent federal census.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.