Official Summary Text
Present law requires candidates for elections to qualify by filing nominating petitions. Such petitions must include the candidate's address. This bill clarifies that the address on a nominating petition for the office of judge, chancellor, district at
torney general, and public defender are confidential and not open to public inspection.
EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION MATERIALS
Present law provides that certain records or information of a state, county, municipal, or other public employee or former employee, or applicant to such position, in the possession of a governmental entity or any person in its capacity as an employer mu
st be treated as confidential and not open to public inspection.
However, present law requires all records, employment applications, credentials, and similar documents obtained by any person in conjunction with an employment search for a director of schools or any chief public administrative officer, during business h
ours, to be open for personal inspection by any citizen of this state, and those in charge of such records must not refuse such right of inspection to any citizen, unless otherwise provided by state law. For the purposes of this provision, a "person" inc
lu
des a natural person, or a corporation, firm, company, association, or other business entity.
This bill provides that, except as provided in the prior paragraph, the application materials submitted by an individual when seeking employment with a governmental entity must be treated as confidential and not open to public inspection.
ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1720, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 eliminates the requirement that the application materials submitted by an individual when seeking employment with a governmental entity be kept confidential and not open to public inspect.
AMENDMENT #2 clarifies that the addresses on a nominating petition may be made open to public inspection upon the request of a candidate or law enforcement authority in anticipation of, or as part of, a contest of candidacy or contest of election. The r
eason for the request must be certified by the person making the request under penalty of perjury.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 1659
By Moon
SENATE BILL 1720
By Haile
SB1720
011286
- 1 -
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2 and
Title 10, Chapter 7, relative to public records.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-5-102, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) Notwithstanding § 10-7-503, the addresses on a nominating petition for the
office of judge, chancellor, district attorney general, and public defender are confidential
and are not open to public inspection.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 10-7-504(f)(1), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) Except as provided in § 10-7-503(f), the application materials submitted by
an individual when seeking employment with the governmental entity.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.