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SB1617 • 2026

County Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, relative to county legislative bodies.

Elections
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Jackson, Moon
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 599
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

County Government Procedures

This bill sets rules for county legislative bodies to adopt and change their local procedures within specific time frames.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines 'local rules of procedure' as formal, written regulations that guide how a county legislative body runs its meetings and business.
  • Requires newly elected county legislative bodies to adopt these rules by majority vote within 90 days after they start meeting.
  • States that any changes to the local rules must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members voting.
  • Says if there's a question not covered in the local rules, Robert's Rules of Order should be used.

Who It Names or Affects

  • County legislative bodies in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Local rules of procedure
Formal written regulations that guide how a county legislative body runs its meetings and business.
Robert's Rules of Order
A standard set of procedures for conducting meetings and running organizations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the rules are not adopted within 90 days.
  • It is unclear how this will affect counties with existing local rules of procedure.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 599

  2. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/18/2026

  3. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 599

  4. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  10. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  11. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  12. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/26/2026

  13. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  14. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  15. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  18. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/24/2026

  19. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 2/19/2026

  20. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/12/2026

  21. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/11/2026

  23. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 2/4/2026

  26. 2026-01-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  27. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 1/28/2026

  28. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  31. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  32. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  33. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2026-01-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill clarifies that the
local rules of procedure adopted by a county legislative body become the temporary local rules of procedure for a newly elected county legislative body until acted upon
as provided below. As used in this bill, "local
rules of procedure" means a set of formal, written regulations adopted by a legislative body to govern the conduct of its own internal business.

Within 90 days of convening a newly elected county legislative body,
this bill requires
the county legislative body
to
adopt local rules of procedure by majority vote.

If changes to the local rules of procedure are proposed during that term after
such
adoption,
then
the changes must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the county legislative body.

If a question arises that is not addressed in the local rules of procedure,
then
the question is governed by the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1488
By Moon

SENATE BILL 1617
By Jackson
SB1617
009222
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5,
relative to county legislative bodies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "County" includes a county with a metropolitan or charter form of
government; and
(2) "Local rules of procedure" means a set of formal, written regulations
adopted by a legislative body to govern the conduct of its own internal business.
(b) The local rules of procedure adopted by a county legislative body become
the temporary local rules of procedure for a newly elected county legislative body until
acted upon pursuant to subsection (c).
(c) Within ninety (90) days of convening a newly elected county legislative body,
the county legislative body shall adopt local rules of procedure by majority vote.
(d) If changes to the local rules of procedure are proposed during that term after
the adoption pursuant to subsection (c), the changes must be approved by a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the county legislative body.
(e) If a question arises that is not addressed in the local rules of procedure, the
question is governed by the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.