State Government

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on how government groups should decide whether to use websites for meeting notices, and it's unclear what happens if a person doesn't receive their requested notice format.

Public Meeting Notices in Tennessee

This bill allows government bodies in Tennessee to post meeting notices on their secure websites and gives people the option to sign up for electronic newsletters or hard copies of these notices.

What This Bill Does

• Allows government groups to put meeting notices on their secure websites instead of newspapers.
• Requires government groups to let people sign up for electronic newsletters about meetings if they publish them electronically.

Who It Names or Affects

• Government bodies in Tennessee
• People who want to know about public meetings

Terms To Know

governmental body

A group that makes decisions for a city, county, or state.

secure website

A safe internet site where information is protected from being seen by others.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how government groups should decide if they want to use websites for meeting notices.
• It's unclear what happens if a person doesn't receive their requested notice format.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 1575
By Lowe
SB1575
010550
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 44, Part 1, relative to public meetings.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-44-103, is amended by adding the
following new subsection (d):
(d)
(1) In lieu of providing adequate notice by publication in a newspaper of general
circulation or by other means, a governmental body may provide adequate notice by
publishing notice of the meeting on a secure internet website of the governmental body,
if available.
(2) If the governmental body publishes an e-newsletter or its notices online, the
governmental body shall establish a mechanism by which a person may sign up to
receive such notices and e-newsletters by electronic mail or, alternatively, to receive a
hard copy by regular mail.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.