Back to Tennessee

HB2655 • 2026

Unicoi County

AN ACT to amend Chapter 213 of the Private Acts of 1982; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Unicoi County mineral tax.

Elections Land Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and excerpt do not provide specific information on what happens if the Unicoi County Commission rejects the changes.

Unicoi County Mineral Tax Act

This act aligns Unicoi County's mineral severance tax with state law and sets specific rates for different time periods, subject to approval by the county legislative body.

What This Bill Does

  • Aligns the rate of the mineral severance tax in Unicoi County with the amounts prescribed under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 67-7-203.
  • Sets a maximum tax rate per ton of minerals based on when they are severed from the ground: 15 cents per ton before July 1, 2025; 20 cents per ton between July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2030; 25 cents per ton between July 1, 2030 and July 1, 2035; and 30 cents per ton after July 1, 2035.
  • Requires the Unicoi County Commission to approve the changes with a two-thirds vote for it to take effect.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Unicoi County residents and businesses involved in mining or selling minerals like sand, gravel, sandstone, chert, or limestone.
  • The Unicoi County Commission

Terms To Know

mineral severance tax
A tax on the removal of minerals from the ground before they are sold.
two-thirds vote
Approval by at least two out of every three members voting in a decision-making body.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act will not take effect unless it is approved by the Unicoi County Commission with a two-thirds majority.
  • It does not specify what happens if the county commission rejects the changes.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  6. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  9. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  10. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Local Calendar for 4/2/2026

  11. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10

  12. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  14. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  16. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, held on desk. Local Bill.

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 3/16/2026

  19. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  22. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  23. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 2719
By Southerland

HOUSE BILL 2655
By Jones R
HB2655
012161
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Chapter 213 of the Private Acts of 1982; and
any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Unicoi
County mineral tax.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Chapter 213 of the Private Acts of 1982, and any other acts amendatory
thereto, is amended by deleting SECTION 2 and substituting:
SECTION 2. The rate of the tax shall be set by the county legislative body as
prescribed in Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 67-7-203, as amended from time to
time. Upon the ratification of this act by the Unicoi County Commission, the rate of the
tax must not exceed the following amounts per ton on sand, gravel, sandstone, chert, or
limestone severed from the ground in the county:
(1) For a tax period that begins prior to July 1, 2025, fifteen cents (15¢)
per ton;
(2) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2025, and prior to July
1, 2030, twenty cents (20¢) per ton;
(3) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2030, and prior to July
1, 2035, twenty-five cents (25¢) per ton; and
(4) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2035, and for
subsequent tax periods, thirty cents (30¢) per ton.
Every interested owner shall become liable at the time the sand, gravel, sandstone,
chert, or limestone is severed from the earth and ready for sale, whether before
processing or after processing may be. The term "sand, gravel, sandstone, chert, or
limestone" shall mean sand, gravel, sandstone, chert, or limestone severed from the
earth in the process of producing a saleable product by whatever means of severance

- 2 - 012161

used. It shall not include, however, any mineral taxed under the provisions of
Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 67-7-102 through 67-7-110, Section 60-1-301, or
any lime or limestone used for agricultural purposes. The tax shall be levied upon the
entire production in the county regardless of the place of sale or the fact that delivery
may be made outside the county. The tax shall accrue at the time the sand, gravel,
sandstone, chert, or limestone is severed from the earth and in its natural or
unprocessed state. The tax levied shall be a lien upon all sand, gravel, sandstone,
chert, or limestone severed in the county and upon all property from which it is severed,
including, but not limited to, mineral rights of the producer, and such liens shall be
entitled to preference over all judgments, encumbrances, or lien whatsoever created.
SECTION 2. This act shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote
of the legislative body of Unicoi County. Its approval or nonapproval shall be proclaimed by the
presiding officer of the legislative body and certified to the secretary of state.
SECTION 3. 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 2.