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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB0178 • 2026

Open Meetings

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 44, relative to public meetings.

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Lowe, Davis
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 620
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement or consequences for non-compliance with the new requirement.

Public Comment Periods for Local Government Meetings

This bill requires local governing bodies to set aside time during their meetings for members of the public to comment on issues relevant to the jurisdiction of those bodies.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local government groups to have a part of each meeting where people can speak about topics that matter to them.
  • Ensures that all meetings of these groups must include time for public comments.
  • Changes Tennessee law to add this requirement.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governing bodies such as city councils, county commissions, and school boards.
  • Members of the public who want to comment on local issues during government meetings.

Terms To Know

local governing body
The group that makes decisions for a city, town, county, or other local area in Tennessee.
public meeting
A gathering of the local government where they discuss and make decisions about community issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to local governing bodies and not state agencies.
  • It does not specify how long the public comment period must be or what happens if someone disrupts the meeting.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0022

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules for local governing bodies to reserve time during public meetings for citizens to comment on agenda items and other matters within the body's jurisdiction.

  • Local governing bodies must set aside a period in each public meeting for public comments.
  • Public comments can be about topics related to the meeting’s agenda or any matter under the local governing body’s authority.
  • The amendment does not specify how long the reserved comment period should be.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0178

Plain English: The amendment requires local governing bodies to set aside time for public comment at each meeting on both agenda items and any relevant issues within their jurisdiction.

  • Local governing bodies must reserve time during meetings for public comments on matters related to the meeting's agenda.
  • Public comments are also allowed on any issue that falls under the local governing body’s authority, even if it is not listed on the agenda.
  • The amendment does not specify how long the reserved period for public comment should be.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 620

  2. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/26/2026

  3. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 620

  4. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  10. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  11. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 3

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0194)

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/12/2026

  15. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 3/12/2026

  16. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/26/2026

  17. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  18. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/24/2026

  19. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 2/24/2026

  20. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/10/2026

  21. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Senate State & Local Government Committee

  23. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  24. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/18/2025

  25. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/18/2025

  26. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  27. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 60, Nays 30, PNV 2

  28. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0049)

  30. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025

  31. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025

  32. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  33. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  34. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/11/2025

  35. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/5/2025

  36. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  39. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  40. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  41. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  42. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  43. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  44. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  45. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  46. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  47. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  48. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  49. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  50. 2024-12-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  51. 2024-12-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 10, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 22, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 limits th
e bill to a local governing body, which this amendment defines as
the governing body of an incorporated city or town, county, metropolitan government, school district, regional authority, or other political subdivision of this state other than a state gove
rnmental agency or entity.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 22
By Davis

SENATE BILL 178
By Lowe

SB0178
000484
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 44, relative to public meetings.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-44-112, is amended by deleting
subsection (a) and substituting the following:
(a) A governing body shall, for each public meeting, reserve a period for public
comment to provide the public with the opportunity to comment:
(1) On matters that are germane to the items on the agenda for the
meeting; and
(2) On any matter that is germane to the jurisdiction of the governing
body, regardless of whether such matter is an item on the agenda for the
meeting.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.