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SB1059 • 2026

Election Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, relative to elections.

Elections
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Lowe, Garrett
Last action
2025-05-08
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 350
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the penalties for non-compliance or enforcement mechanisms.

Election Law Changes

This bill revises Tennessee's campaign finance laws by adding new activities related to door-knocking campaigns that must be reported as contributions.

What This Bill Does

  • Revises the definition of 'contribution' in Tennessee's election laws to include independent or coordinated activities for developing, producing, and using canvassing literature and scripts in door-knocking campaigns.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Campaigns and candidates running for office in Tennessee
  • People or groups involved in door-knocking activities for campaigns

Terms To Know

contribution
Money, goods, services, or other support given to a political campaign that must be reported under election laws.
canvassing literature and scripts
Materials used by canvassers when talking to voters door-to-door during campaigns.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact penalties for failing to report these contributions.
  • It is unclear how this change will be enforced or monitored by election officials.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1073

Plain English: The amendment adds new language to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-10-102(4), defining specific activities related to door-knocking campaigns for candidates' elections.

  • Adds a new subdivision (G) to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-10-102(4).
  • Defines activities such as developing and producing canvassing literature and scripts for door-knocking campaigns.
  • Includes the cost of paying canvassers to distribute literature and record voter responses.
  • The exact impact on current election laws is not fully explained in the amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1059

Plain English: The amendment adds new language to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-10-102(4), defining specific activities related to door-knocking campaigns for candidates' elections.

  • Adds a new subdivision (G) under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-10-102(4).
  • Defines activities such as developing and producing canvassing literature and scripts for door-knocking campaigns.
  • Includes the cost of paying canvassers to distribute materials and record voter responses.
  • The exact impact on current election laws is not fully explained in the amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 350

  2. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/02/2025

  3. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 350

  4. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  10. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 28, Nays 3

  11. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0309)

  12. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

  14. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/15/2025

  15. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  16. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  17. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  18. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 80, Nays 11, PNV 2

  19. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0287)

  21. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025

  22. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  24. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  32. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  35. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  36. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  40. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1073, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, revise the definition of "contribution," for purposes of financial disclosures under the state's campaign finance laws, to include an a
ctivity done independently of or in coordination with a candidate, candidate's political campaign committee, or agent, related to the development, production, and use of canvassing literature and scripts to be used in a door-knocking campaign for a candidate's election, including, but not limited to,
(i)
the cost of paying canvassers to distribute the canvassing literature and reading the script at homes of potential voters,
(ii)
recording the answers to the scripted questions, and
(iii)
compiling and storing the data received as a result of the door-knocking campaign
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1073
By Garrett

SENATE BILL 1059
By Lowe

SB1059
003258
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-14-105, is amended by deleting the
language "Within ten (10) days after receipt of an order to hold a special election" and
substituting instead "Within fifteen (15) days after receipt of an order to hold a special election".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.