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SB2264 • 2026

Lobbying, Lobbyists

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 3 and Title 8, relative to lobbying.

Education Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Lowe, Reeves
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about immediate implementation, only that it takes effect upon becoming a law.

Changes to Lobbying Rules

This bill changes how certain government entities are considered employers when they hire people to lobby for them.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes a part of the law that says school boards, municipal utilities, utility districts, and county or city departments do not count as employers if they hire someone else to lobby for them.
  • Adds new rules saying that state government groups are also not considered employers when they hire contractors or representatives to lobby on their behalf.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School boards, municipal utilities, utility districts, and county or city departments
  • State government groups

Terms To Know

lobbyist
A person who tries to influence decisions made by lawmakers or other officials.
contractor
Someone hired to do a specific job, like lobbying, for another organization.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how local governments will be affected beyond the changes made to state government rules.
  • It is unclear if there are additional financial impacts on local or state budgets other than the funding mentioned in the summary text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  7. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  8. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  9. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  17. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  21. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  24. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  25. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  26. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  28. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2073
By Reeves

SENATE BILL 2264
By Lowe
SB2264
012362
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2;
Title 3 and Title 8, relative to lobbying.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 3-6-301(15)(D), is amended by
deleting the language:
provided further, however, that the board, utility, district, department, agency or
entity that employs the contractor, subcontractor or other representative is not
deemed to be an employer of a lobbyist for purposes of this part
and substituting:
provided further, however, that when a department, agency, or entity of state
government employs a contractor, subcontractor, or other representative to
engage in lobbying, the department, agency, or entity is not deemed to be an
employer of a lobbyist for purposes of this part
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.