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SB0373 • 2026

Highways, Roads and Bridges

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to acquisition of rights-of-way.

Land
Active

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

Sponsor
Rose, Hurt
Last action
2026-04-16
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/20/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on funding or applicability to existing projects.

Highways, Roads, and Bridges Act

This bill requires that final plans for acquiring land rights for highway or road projects must be filed in each county where the project is located if the project spans multiple counties.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires that final plans for acquiring land rights for highway or road projects spanning multiple counties must be recorded with the office of the register in each affected county.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The state government when it works on highway or road projects.
  • Counties where these projects are located.

Terms To Know

Right-of-way
Land that is used for roads, highways, and bridges.
Register's office
A place in each county where important documents are kept.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the state will pay for recording these plans.
  • It is unclear if this change applies to existing projects or only new ones.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to SB0373

Plain English: The amendment requires that when the commissioner seeks to take land for road construction using eminent domain, they must provide detailed descriptions of the property and rights being taken before any legal action can proceed.

  • Adds a new requirement for the commissioner to include precise metes and bounds and clear property descriptions in condemnation petitions or amendments.
  • Stops lawful takings until these detailed descriptions are filed and served upon landowners.
  • The amendment text does not specify penalties for non-compliance with the new requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/20/2026

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  3. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  5. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  6. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  7. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  8. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 3/26/2025

  9. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  10. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  11. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  13. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  14. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  15. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  16. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 352
By Hurt

SENATE BILL 373
By Rose

SB0373
001278
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 54 and Title 55, relative to acquisition of
rights-of-way.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 54-5-110(b)(1), is amended by
adding the following immediately after the first sentence:
If a project is located in more than one (1) county, then the final right-of-way plans must
be filed and recorded in each county where the project is located.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.