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SB0908 • 2026

Open Meetings

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 5; Title 8, Chapter 44; Title 43, Chapter 1; Title 58; Title 68, Chapter 1 and Title 70, relative to public meetings.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Harshbarger, Hulsey
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 286
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the composition or functions of the Tennessee One Health Committee beyond its role under the open meetings law.

Open Meetings for Tennessee One Health

This bill makes meetings of the Tennessee One Health Committee open to the public.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds the Tennessee One Health Committee as a governing body under the open meetings law.
  • Requires that all meetings of the Tennessee One Health Committee be open to the public.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee One Health Committee
  • Members of the public who want to attend meetings of the Tennessee One Health Committee

Terms To Know

governing body
A group that makes decisions or policies for an organization, such as a committee.
Tennessee One Health Committee
A committee made up of representatives from different state agencies working together on health issues related to humans, animals, and the environment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the Tennessee One Health Committee fails to hold open meetings.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect other similar committees that are not explicitly mentioned in the bill.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0731

Plain English: The amendment adds new language to Tennessee Code Annotated to include meetings of Tennessee One Health in the definition of 'public meeting'.

  • Adds a new subdivision (F) under Section 8-44-102(b)(1) that defines the governing body of Tennessee One Health.
  • Modifies Section 8-44-102(b)(2) to include meetings of the governing body described in subdivision (b)(1)(F) as part of the definition of 'meeting'.
  • The exact scope and implications of including Tennessee One Health meetings under public meeting laws are not detailed.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0908

Plain English: The amendment adds new language to Tennessee Code Annotated to include meetings of Tennessee One Health in the definition of 'public meeting'.

  • Adds a new subdivision (F) under Section 8-44-102(b)(1) that defines Tennessee One Health and its purpose.
  • Modifies Section 8-44-102(b)(2) to include meetings of the governing body described in subdivision (b)(1)(F) as part of the definition of 'meeting'.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how Tennessee One Health will operate or what specific actions it can take.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 286

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/24/2025

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 286

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  12. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0342)

  13. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/10/2025

  15. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/2/2025

  17. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  18. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  20. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  21. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 5, PNV 1

  22. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0086)

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  25. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/13/2025

  26. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/12/2025

  28. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  30. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Public Service Subcommittee to 3/5/2025

  31. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  36. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  37. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law generally
requires that meetings of governing bodies be open to the public. This bill expands the definition of "governing body" to include a body composed of representatives from several state government agencies that seeks to promote and support the health of h
u
mans, animals, and the environment through cooperation and collaboration across disciplines, including local, state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, and outside partners, and specifies that the convening of such a governing body is a meeting
f
or purposes of the open meetings law.

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 731, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 revises the provision requiring a body
composed of representatives from several state government agencies that s
eeks to promote and support the health of humans, animals, and the environment through cooperation and collaboration across disciplines
to be open to the public to, instead, place such requirement on the governing body of Tennessee One Health.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 731
By Hulsey

SENATE BILL 908
By Harshbarger

SB0908
002673
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 3, Part 5; Title 8, Chapter 44; Title 43,
Chapter 1; Title 58; Title 68, Chapter 1 and Title
70, relative to public meetings.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-44-102(b)(1), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(F) A body composed of representatives from several state government
agencies that seeks to promote and support the health of humans, animals, and the
environment through cooperation and collaboration across disciplines, including local,
state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, and outside partners.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-44-102(b)(2), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (b)(2)(A) and adding the following as a new
subdivision (b)(2)(B):
(B) "Meeting" also means the convening of a governing body described under
subdivision (b)(1)(F).
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.