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SB1781 • 2026

Election Laws

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

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Johnson, Atchley
Last action
2026-01-22
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify what happens if a defect is not corrected or how this change will affect petition filing and success rates.

Election Petition Rules

This bill allows county election commissions to notify individuals about defects in petitions for recall, referendum, or initiative that must be corrected before certification.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule allowing the county election commission to inform petitioners of any defects in their petitions for recall, referendum, or initiative.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who file petitions for recalls, referendums, or initiatives.
  • County election commissions that handle these petitions.

Terms To Know

petition
A formal request made to a government body asking them to take action on an issue.
defect
An error or flaw in something that needs to be fixed.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the consequences if the defect is not corrected.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect petition filing and success rates.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  3. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  4. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  6. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2447
By Atchley

SENATE BILL 1781
By Johnson
SB1781
011383
- 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 2-5-151(c), is amended by adding
the following new sentence immediately between the first and second sentences:
The commission may notify the individual or individuals filing the petition of a defect in
the documentation.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.