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SB0623 • 2026

Public Records

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 4, Part 6, relative to the office of open records counsel.

Active

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

Sponsor
Briggs, Leatherwood
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 05/05/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details about meeting frequency or penalties for non-compliance.

Rules for Advisory Committee Meetings

This bill requires the office of open records counsel to facilitate meetings of the advisory committee on open government by selecting dates and providing meeting spaces and online participation options.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the office of open records counsel to select a date for an annual meeting if the advisory committee cannot elect co-chairs and a majority of members request it in writing.
  • Asks the office of open records counsel to reserve a room in the comptroller's offices for meetings.
  • Needs the office of open records counsel to post notices, minutes, and agendas on the comptroller’s website.
  • Requires the office of open records counsel to provide an electronic method for committee members to join meetings online.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The advisory committee on open government
  • The office of open records counsel

Terms To Know

Advisory Committee on Open Government
A group that gives advice about public record laws.
Office of Open Records Counsel
An office that helps with rules about making government records available to the public.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how often or when these meetings must occur.
  • It is unclear if there are any penalties for failing to comply with these requirements.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0857

Plain English: The amendment adds new responsibilities for the office of open records counsel regarding meetings of the advisory committee on open government.

  • The office of open records counsel must select a date for an annual meeting if the advisory committee fails to elect co-chairs and a majority of members request it in writing.
  • The office is required to reserve a room for the advisory committee's meetings at the comptroller’s treasury offices.
  • The office must post notices, minutes, and agendas on the comptroller’s website for advisory committee meetings.
  • The amendment does not specify all details about how electronic participation will be provided by the office of open records counsel.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0623

Plain English: The amendment adds new responsibilities for the office of open records counsel regarding meetings of the advisory committee on open government.

  • The office of open records counsel must select a date for an annual meeting if the advisory committee fails to elect co-chairs and a majority of members request it in writing.
  • The office is required to reserve a room for the advisory committee's meetings at the comptroller’s treasury offices.
  • The office must post notices, minutes, and agendas on the comptroller’s website for advisory committee meetings.
  • The amendment does not specify all details about how electronic participation will be provided by the office of open records counsel.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/05/2025

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 370

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 370

  4. 2025-05-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 92, Nays 1, PNV 0

  10. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0405)

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  14. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

  15. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  18. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  19. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  20. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  21. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0224)

  22. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/31/2025

  23. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  25. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  26. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  27. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  28. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2025

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  31. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  35. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 31, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 623, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 adds to this bill by requiring the
office of open records counsel
do the following, in order to
facilitate the
convening of meetings of the advisory committee on open government:

(
1
) Select a date for the required annual meeting if
t
he advisory committee has failed to elect co-chairs and
a
majority of the members of the advisory committee make a written request
to the office of open records counsel to select a date for the required annual meeting;

(
2
) Reserv
e
a room for the advisory committee to meet in the offices of the comptroller of the treasury;

(
3
) Post
notice of meetings, minutes of meetings, and meet
ing agendas
on the comptroller's website; and

(
4
) Provid
e
an electronic method by which the committee may allow participation by electronic means.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 857
By Leatherwood

SENATE BILL 623
By Briggs

SB0623
002638
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 4, Part 6, relative to the office of open
records counsel.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-4-603(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(4) The office of open records counsel shall facilitate the convening of meetings
of the advisory committee on open government, including selecting a date for the
required annual meeting in the absence of co-chairs.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.