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SB1958 • 2026

Remedies and Special Proceedings

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, Chapter 3 and Title 49, relative to causes of action.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Stevens, Farmer
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the new provisions will affect ongoing or future lawsuits.

Changes to Lawsuits Against Local Governments

This bill limits lawsuits challenging local governmental actions in Tennessee and maintains sovereign immunity for the state government.

What This Bill Does

  • Limits lawsuits about the legality or constitutionality of actions by political subdivisions (local governments) but not the state.
  • Allows individuals to seek relief under the Tennessee Human Rights Act if they face discrimination at a public college or university, instead of seeking declaratory or injunctive relief.
  • Maintains sovereign immunity for the state government and its officials.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to challenge local governmental actions in court
  • Individuals facing discrimination at public colleges or universities in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Political Subdivision
A local government entity such as a city, town, county, school district, or other similar organization created by state laws.
Sovereign Immunity
The legal principle that protects the state and its officials from being sued without their consent.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how existing lawsuits will be affected.
  • Does not clarify if there are any exceptions to the limitations on suing political subdivisions.
  • Does not provide details about how relief under the Tennessee Human Rights Act differs from other forms of legal action.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1971

Plain English: The amendment changes Section 3 of Senate Bill No. 1958 by removing subsection (b), renaming subsection (c) as (b), and adding a new subsection (c) to ensure that other causes of action or waivers of sovereign immunity are not limited.

  • Removes the existing subsection (b) from Section 3.
  • Redesignates the previous subsection (c) as the new subsection (b).
  • Adds a new subsection (c) stating that this section does not limit other causes of action or waivers of sovereign immunity to protect rights under both the Tennessee and United States Constitutions.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what specific changes were in the removed subsection (b).
Amendment 1-0 to SB1958

Plain English: The amendment changes Section 3 of SB1958 by removing subsection (b), renaming existing subsection (c) as (b), and adding a new subsection (c) to clarify that other causes of action or waivers of sovereign immunity are not limited.

  • Removes the original subsection (b) from Section 3.
  • Renames the existing subsection (c) in Section 3 to be the new subsection (b).
  • Adds a new subsection (c) stating that other causes of action or waivers of sovereign immunity are not limited by this section.
  • The exact content and implications of the removed subsection (b) are unknown as it is not provided in the amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 18, Nays 13

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0923)

  10. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  11. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026

  13. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  14. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 56, Nays 38, PNV 1

  16. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0861)

  17. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  18. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  19. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 1

  22. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  26. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  27. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  28. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  30. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026

  31. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  32. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/4/2026

  33. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  35. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  36. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/11/2026

  37. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/17/2026

  39. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/18/2026

  40. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  41. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  42. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  43. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  44. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  45. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  46. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  47. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  48. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  49. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law provides a cause of action for any affected person who seeks declaratory or injunctive relief in any action brought regarding the legality or constitutionality of a governmental action. This bill limits such cause of action to actions of poli
tical subdivisions of this state and specifies that such cause of action does not apply to challenges to the validity or constitutionality of state law.

Present law provides that a person who is subjected to discrimination in higher education may proceed under the general cause of action to challenge the legality or constitutionality of a governmental action, which this bill limits to actions of politica
l subdivisions. The types of relief that may be awarded under present law are limited to injunctive and declaratory relief. This bill instead authorizes a person who is subjected to discrimination in higher education to seek relief under the

Tennessee Hum
an Rights Act, which may include an award of damages.

ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1971, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:

•

Removes that the bill does not authorize a cause of action against, or waive the sovereign immunity and privileges of, the state, state entities, or state officials.

•

Provides that the bill does not limit any other cause of action or waiver of sovereign immunity to vindicate rights under the Tennessee Constitution or the United States Constitution.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1971
By Farmer

SENATE BILL 1958
By Stevens
SB1958
011517
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1,
Chapter 3 and Title 49, relative to causes of
action.

WHEREAS, the 110th General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 621; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly never intended that enactment to waive Tennessee's
sovereign immunity; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly maintains its intent to retain Tennessee's sovereign
immunity; now, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-121, is amended by deleting the
section in its entirety.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-191(f), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting the following:
(f) An individual who believes that a violation of this section has occurred may
seek relief pursuant to § 4-21-311.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, Chapter 3, is amended by adding the
following as a new section:
(a) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, a cause of action exists under
this section for any affected person who seeks declaratory or injunctive relief in any
action brought regarding the legality or constitutionality of a governmental action of only
a political subdivision of this state. A cause of action does not exist under this section:
(1) To seek damages; or
(2) To challenge the validity or constitutionality of any state statute.

- 2 - 011517

(b) This section does not authorize a cause of action against, or waive the
sovereign immunity and privileges of, the state, state entities, or state officials.
(c) As used in this section, "political subdivision" means a local governmental
entity, including a city, town, metropolitan government, county, utility district, local school
district, public building authority, and development district created and existing pursuant
to the laws of this state, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or
more of the named local governmental entities.
SECTION 4. If any provision of this act or the application of any provision of this act to
any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or
applications of the act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to
that end, the provisions of this act are severable.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.