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SB0773 • 2026

Planning, Public

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13, Chapter 3; Title 13, Chapter 4 and Title 13, Chapter 7, relative to the vesting period for property development standards.

Active

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

Sponsor
Briggs, Wright
Last action
2025-05-15
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on what happens in cases without pending lawsuits or how it affects existing projects with expired periods.

Vesting Period for Property Development Standards

This law changes how long property development plans and permits can remain valid during legal challenges.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the time a construction project or development plan stays valid when there is legal action against it.
  • Pauses the expiration of the vesting period while any legal disputes about permits are ongoing.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who apply for construction or development permits in Tennessee.
  • Local government agencies responsible for issuing and reviewing building permits.

Terms To Know

Vesting period
The time during which a property development plan or permit remains valid and enforceable.
Tolling
Pausing the counting of time, like when legal disputes delay the expiration date of permits.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if there are no pending lawsuits.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect existing projects with expired vesting periods.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0735

Plain English: The amendment extends the vesting period for property development standards to at least three years after all appeals are resolved or appeal periods expire.

  • Adds a definition of 'submission' as the date when an applicant submits a complete application for approval of a development plan or building permit.
  • Extends the vesting period for approved development plans and issued building permits to at least three years after all appeals are resolved or appeal periods expire.
  • The amendment text does not specify how existing vesting periods will be affected before July 1, 2025.
Amendment 2-0 to HB0735

Plain English: The amendment changes Tennessee's property development laws to ensure that vesting periods for both development plans and building permits do not expire earlier than three years after all appeals are resolved or appeal periods have ended.

  • Adds a definition of 'submission' as the date when an applicant submits a complete application for approval of a development plan or building permit to local government.
  • Extends vesting periods for approved development plans and issued building permits by ensuring they do not expire earlier than three years after all appeals are resolved or appeal periods have ended.
  • The amendment text does not specify the exact circumstances under which these changes apply, such as specific types of local governments or development projects.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 440

  3. 2025-05-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 440

  4. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0430)

  10. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/21/2025

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 92, Nays 1, PNV 1

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0402)

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0430)

  14. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  15. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  17. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  19. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  25. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/31/2025

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  29. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025

  32. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  34. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  37. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  40. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  41. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  42. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  43. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 16, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 773 FOR HOUSE BILL 735, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 773, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2
clarifies
that the provisions prohibiting vesting periods applicable to development plans and building permits expiring earlier than three years following the later of the date on which the appeal period for challenging such approval or issuance has expired or the date on which all appeals of such approval or issuance have been exhausted are both applicable, not either one only.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 735
By Wright

SENATE BILL 773
By Briggs

SB0773
002730
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13,
Chapter 3; Title 13, Chapter 4 and Title 13,
Chapter 7, relative to the vesting period for
property development standards.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 13-3-413(d), is amended by adding
the following new subdivision:
(4) A vesting period established pursuant to subsection (c) or this subsection (d)
does not expire because of pending litigation challenging a permit, and the vesting
period is tolled while such litigation is pending.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 13-4-310(d), is amended by adding
the following new subdivision:
(4) A vesting period established pursuant to subsection (c) or this subsection (d)
does not expire because of pending litigation challenging a permit, and the vesting
period is tolled while such litigation is pending.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect on July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.