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SB1165 • 2026

Election Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, relative to a ballot question.

Elections Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Akbari
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details about funding for implementing this ballot question or specify what happens if voters approve medical marijuana legalization.

Medical Marijuana Ballot Question

This bill requires Tennessee county election commissions to include a non-binding question about legalizing medical marijuana on the November 2026 ballot and for the secretary of state to report the results to lawmakers.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires county election commissions to put a question about legalizing medical marijuana on the November 2026 ballot.
  • The secretary of state must collect and report the results of this question to all lawmakers in the General Assembly.
  • The outcome of the vote is not legally binding for lawmakers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • County election commissions
  • Voters in Tennessee
  • Lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly

Terms To Know

Non-binding question
A ballot question that asks for public opinion but does not require lawmakers to follow the results.
Public policy opinion poll
A vote by citizens on a specific issue, used to gauge public opinion.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if voters approve medical marijuana legalization.
  • It is unclear how the results will influence future legislation.

Bill History

  1. Date Tennessee General Assembly

  2. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  4. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 1165
By Akbari

SB1165
002645
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to a ballot question.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Each county election commission shall include on the November 2026
election ballot the following question:
Should the State of Tennessee legalize the sale, possession, and use of medical
marijuana? YES or NO
SECTION 2. The secretary of state shall compile the results of the public policy opinion
poll in Section 1 and forward the results to each member of the general assembly.
SECTION 3. The outcome of the public policy opinion poll is not binding on the general
assembly.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.