SB1849 • 2026

County Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 12 and Title 67, relative to local government.

Education Housing Labor Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: Crowe, Hicks T
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the impact on residents or the exact sections of the code being updated.

Changes to County Charter Posting Time

This bill shortens the time counties have to post changes to their charters on websites from three months to two months.

What This Bill Does

Reduces the period for posting charter revisions online from three months to two months.

Who It Names or Affects

Counties in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Charter: A document that outlines the basic rules and structure of a county's government.
Tennessee Code Annotated: The official collection of laws for Tennessee, organized by subject matter.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how counties will manage the shorter posting period.
It is unclear if this change affects all types of charter revisions equally.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA1133

Amendment 1-0 to HB1796

Plain English: The amendment adds new provisions to Tennessee law that allow certain highly-rated local governments and cities within those counties to create affordable housing developments for essential employees, such as teachers and police officers.

Adds a new chapter in Title 9 of the Tennessee Code Annotated called 'Essential Governmental Employee Housing Act of 2026'.
Defines key terms like 'essential employee', 'essential housing development', and 'local government' with specific criteria for eligibility.
Gives local governments the power to develop, lease, operate, and maintain essential housing developments through their housing authority.
Allows local governments to finance these housing developments using bonds and notes under certain conditions.

The amendment text is truncated at the end, so some details about the full scope of powers and limitations are not provided.

HA1134

Amendment 2-0 to HB1796

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition of 'regional retail tourism development district' to include specific criteria for population size, proximity to interstate exits and state borders, and area limits.

Changes the minimum population requirement from an unspecified number to at least 100,000 based on a federal census.
Specifies that the district must border a county with two certified border region retail tourism development districts.
Limits the distance of the district's boundary from an interstate exit to no more than half a mile and from state borders to no more than twenty miles as measured by a straight line.
Sets a maximum area limit for the district at 950 acres.

The amendment text does not specify how existing districts will be affected by these new criteria.

SA0980

Amendment 1-0 to SB1849

Changes the minimum population requirement from an unspecified number to at least 100,000 based on a federal census.
Specifies that the district must border a county with two certified border region retail tourism development districts.
Limits the size of the district to no more than 950 acres and sets distance requirements for interstate exits and state borders.

The amendment text does not provide details on how existing districts will be affected by these changes.

SA1039

Amendment 2-0 to SB1849

Plain English: The amendment adds new provisions to Tennessee law that allow local governments to create and manage affordable housing developments for essential employees, such as teachers and police officers.

Adds a new chapter in Title 9 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, titled 'Essential Governmental Employee Housing Act of 2026'.
Defines key terms like 'essential employee', 'essential housing development', and 'local government'.
Gives local governments the power to develop, lease, operate, and maintain essential housing developments.
Specifies that local governments can use their tax revenue or other funds to support these housing projects.

The full text of the amendment is incomplete, so some details about how local governments will implement this act are not provided.

Bill History

2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/14/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/13/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/15/2026
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026
2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/31/2026
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate State & Local Gov't Committee on 3/24/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1796
By Hicks T

SENATE BILL 1849
By Crowe
SB1849
010943
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 12 and Title 67,
relative to local government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-127(b), is amended by deleting
the language "three (3)" and substituting instead "two (2)".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.