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

SB0232 • 2026

Election Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 7, relative to polling places.

Elections Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Akbari, Chism
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Election Laws

Present law requires the county election commission to designate entrances to the building in which an election is to be held that are for the use of voters.

What This Bill Does

  • Present law requires the county election commission to designate entrances to the building in which an election is to be held that are for the use of voters.
  • The officer of elections must measure off 100 feet from the designated entrances and place boun dary signs at that distance.
  • Within such boundary, and the building in which the polling place is located, the display of campaign posters, signs, or other campaign materials; distribution of campaign materials; and solicitation of votes for or against a ny person, political party, or position on a question are prohibited.
  • This bill authorizes a county election commission to designate restroom facilities in a building in which an election is to be held that are for the use of workers or volunteers working for a campaign.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0659

Plain English: House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.

  • House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB0659 Crawford Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 232* House Bill No.
  • 659 HA1099 013845 - 1 - by deleting the effective date section and substituting: SECTION 2.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

  2. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 1050

  3. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1050

  4. 2026-05-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-05-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-05-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA1099)

  10. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/23/2026

  11. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 86, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1099)

  13. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  16. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026

  17. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026

  18. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026

  20. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/8/2026

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  22. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  25. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  28. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  30. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  33. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  34. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/17/2025

  35. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  36. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  39. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  40. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  41. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  42. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  43. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  44. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  45. 2025-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law requires the county election commission to designate entrances to the building in which an election is to be held that are for the use of voters. The officer of elections must measure off 100 feet from the designated entrances and place boun
dary signs at that distance. Within such boundary, and the building in which the polling place is located, the display of campaign posters, signs, or other campaign materials; distribution of campaign materials; and solicitation of votes for or against a
ny
person, political party, or position on a question are prohibited.

This bill authorizes a county election commission to designate restroom facilities in a building in which an election is to be held that are for the use of workers or volunteers working for a campaign. Workers and volunteers of a campaign working outsid
e of a polling place may use restroom facilities in the building in which the election is held that have been designated for use by such workers or volunteers but must not enter the polling place. Additionally, such a worker or volunteer must cover or re
mo
ve clothing or accoutrements bearing campaign material before entering the boundary designated under present law. A worker or volunteer of a campaign who enters the boundary without covering or removing campaign material, or who attempts to solicit votes
within the boundary, may be subject to punishment for committing a Class C misdemeanor.

ON APRIL 21, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 232 FOR HOUSE BILL 659, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 232, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #
1
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 659
By Chism

SENATE BILL 232
By Akbari

SB0232
000633
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
Chapter 7, relative to polling places.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-111, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(e) A county election commission may designate restroom facilities in a building
in which the election is to be held that are for the use of workers or volunteers working
for a campaign. Workers and volunteers of a campaign working outside of a polling
place may use restroom facilities in the building in which the election is held that have
been designated for use by workers or volunteers working for a campaign, but shall not
enter the polling place. A worker or volunteer of a campaign shall cover or remove
clothing or accoutrements bearing campaign material before entering the boundary
designated under subsection (a). A worker or volunteer of a campaign who enters the
boundary without covering or removing campaign material, or who attempts to solicit
votes within the boundary, may be subject to punishment under § 2-19-119.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.