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SB0627 • 2026

Campaigns and Campaign Finance

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 39 and Title 47, relative to campaign finance.

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Taylor, Doggett
Last action
2025-04-01
Official status
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details about the frequency of requests or changes in actual costs, leaving these points as unknowns.

Campaign Finance Reporting Costs

This bill limits how much the election finance office can charge for copying campaign finance reports to the actual cost of producing those copies.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the rules about charging fees for copying campaign finance reports.
  • Limits the cost to what it actually costs to make a copy.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who ask for copies of campaign finance reports from the election finance office.

Terms To Know

Campaign Finance
Money and other resources used in political campaigns, including how it is raised and spent.
Registry of Election Finance
The government office that collects and provides information about campaign finance reports.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if the actual cost changes.
  • Does not say how often people can request copies for free or at a reduced rate.
  • Does not change other parts of Tennessee's election laws.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0581

Plain English: This amendment to Tennessee Code Annotated adds new rules for online political contributions and third-party payment processors involved in these transactions.

  • Establishes a registry of election finance that requires third-party payment processors (vendors) facilitating online political contributions to register with the state.
  • Limits candidates or their committees from accepting more than 50% of total campaign contributions through unregistered vendors' platforms.
  • Requires vendors to verify individual contributions using CVV numbers and maintain unique identification numbers provided by the registry or another state/U.S. government.
  • Imposes penalties for violations, including criminal charges for identity theft if a credit/debit card is used without express consent.
  • The exact process of how vendors register with the registry and provide donor data to candidates or committees is not fully detailed in this amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0627

Plain English: This amendment to SB0627 adds new rules for online political contributions and third-party payment processors in Tennessee.

  • Establishes a registry of election finance that requires third-party payment processors (vendors) to register before accepting political donations through an online platform.
  • Limits candidates or their committees from receiving more than 50% of total campaign contributions via unregistered vendors' platforms.
  • Requires vendors to verify individual credit or debit card transactions by obtaining the CVV number.
  • The amendment text does not specify penalties for violations other than those mentioned in subsection (e) and (f).

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  2. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/7/2025

  3. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee

  4. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0

  5. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  7. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  9. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/25/2025

  12. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  13. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee - Government Operations for Review

  14. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  16. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  17. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  18. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  19. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 581
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 627
By Taylor

SB0627
000880
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2;
Title 39 and Title 47, relative to campaign finance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-10-206(a)(3), is amended by
deleting the semicolon at the end of the subdivision and substituting:
, not to exceed the registry's actual cost of producing such copies;
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.