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SB0039 • 2026

County Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, relative to county legislative bodies.

Budget
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Haile, Lamberth
Last action
2025-04-04
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 132
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The original summary's claim about removing recall ability was partially incorrect, as it now specifies a requirement for recommendation.

Changes to County Government Rules

This bill changes how Tennessee counties can remove members from appointed boards and commissions with certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes county legislative bodies, by a two-thirds vote, to remove any member of an appointed board or commission if the removal is recommended by the appointing authority.
  • Requires that a member of an appointed board or commission must be given at least five business days' notice before any vote on their removal can take place.

Who It Names or Affects

  • County legislative bodies in Tennessee
  • Members of appointed boards and commissions

Terms To Know

county legislative body
The group that makes decisions for a county, like approving budgets or setting policies.
appointed board or commission
A group of people chosen by the county to handle specific tasks or issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill does not apply in counties that already have charter provisions or resolutions for removing members from boards and commissions.
  • The exact date this law will take effect is not specified, but it takes effect upon becoming a law due to public welfare requirements.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0056

Plain English: The amendment changes how members of appointed boards and commissions in Tennessee counties can be removed from their positions.

  • Allows a county legislative body to remove any member of an appointed board or commission with a two-thirds vote, if the removal is recommended by the appointing authority.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if the appointing authority does not recommend the removal.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect existing charters, resolutions, or other laws that might conflict with this new rule.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0039

Plain English: The amendment allows county legislative bodies to remove appointed board or commission members with a two-thirds vote if recommended by the appointing authority, provided the member receives at least five business days' notice.

  • County legislative bodies can now remove members of appointed boards or commissions with a two-thirds majority vote if the removal is suggested by the person who originally appointed them and the board member gets at least five business days’ notice.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens in counties that already have charter provisions or resolutions for removing board members before this act takes effect.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect existing county charters and resolutions regarding the removal of appointed officials.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 132

  2. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/03/2025

  3. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 132

  4. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. concurred in S. am. no. 1 Ayes 85, Nays 7 PNV 0 HB0056

  10. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Message Calendar 3/20/2025

  11. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  12. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 20, Nays 10

  13. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0038)

  14. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  15. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/13/2025

  16. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 1

  17. 2025-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  18. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  19. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  20. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 1

  21. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0007)

  22. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 2/24/2025

  24. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/20/2025

  25. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  26. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/19/2025

  27. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  29. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  30. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  31. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  33. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2025-01-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2025-01-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON FEBRUARY 24, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 56, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 removes the provision that authorizes a county legislative body to recall a person appointed to a position by the county legislat
ive body upon a 2/3 vote and, instead, authorizes a county legislative body, by a 2/3 vote, to remove any member of an appointed board or commission, if such removal is recommended by the appointing authority.

ON MARCH 13, 2025, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HO
USE BILL 56 FOR SENATE BILL 39, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 56, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 adds that (i) the member of the board or commission must be given at least five business days' notice of the meeting when the vote on removal will occ
ur, and (ii) the bill does not apply in a county that has a charter provision or resolution providing for the removal of members of boards and commissions prior to the effective date of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 56
By Lamberth

SENATE BILL 39
By Haile

SB0039
000438
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5,
relative to county legislative bodies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 5, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding a charter, resolution, or another law to the contrary, a county
legislative body may recall a person appointed to a position by the county legislative
body upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the legislative body. This section does not apply to
a person appointed by a county legislative body to fill a vacancy in the general
assembly.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.