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SB2581 • 2026

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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.

Housing
Active

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

Sponsor
Gardenhire, Martin G
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 summary does not specify which sections of the law are amended beyond Titles mentioned, so a broader claim was removed.

Changing Time for County Consolidation Reports

This bill changes the time limit from 90 to 100 days for a joint committee to report on whether two counties can be combined after receiving a request.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that a joint committee has 100 days instead of 90 days to review and report on county consolidation requests.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Joint committees responsible for reviewing county consolidation petitions in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

county consolidation
The process of combining two or more counties into one larger county.
joint committee
A group made up of members from different parts of the government who work together on a specific task, like reviewing county consolidation requests.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the joint committee misses the new deadline.
  • It is unclear how many counties might actually request consolidation under this extended time frame.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2115

Plain English: This amendment allows municipalities to create a program for inspecting and managing vacant properties that are deteriorating within specific districts to ensure compliance with local codes and promote community health and safety.

  • Municipalities can now establish a vacant property inventory program in certain areas where there is a significant number of deteriorating or potentially deteriorating properties.
  • The program must be limited to areas that meet specific criteria, such as having five or more deteriorated properties within the proposed district.
  • Owners of vacant properties may be required to pay fees for inspections and maintenance to cover public safety costs.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how municipalities will define 'vacant property inspection districts' beyond the criteria mentioned.
Amendment 2-0 to HB2115

Plain English: The amendment adds a new definition for 'vacant property' in Senate Bill No. 2581, specifying what types of properties are considered vacant and which ones are not.

  • Adds a new subsection (g) to the bill that defines 'vacant property'.
  • Specifies that 'vacant property' includes parcels zoned for commercial or industrial use but excludes single-family residential units, multi-family residential units, and properties under Tennessee Housing Development Agency control.
  • The amendment does not provide details on how the definition of 'vacant property' will be used in the bill.
  • It is unclear what specific changes or impacts this new definition might have on local government regulations or policies.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2581

Plain English: This amendment allows municipalities to create a program for inspecting and managing vacant properties that are deteriorating within specific districts to ensure compliance with local codes and promote community health and safety.

  • Municipalities can now establish a vacant property inventory program in certain areas where there is a significant number of deteriorating or soon-to-be-deteriorating properties.
  • The program must be limited to areas that meet specific criteria, such as having five or more deteriorated properties and needing inspections for public health and safety reasons.
  • Municipalities can charge fees on owners of vacant properties within the inventory district to cover costs related to maintaining these properties.
  • The amendment does not provide details about how municipalities will define 'vacant property inspection districts' or what specific actions they must take after identifying deteriorating properties.
  • It is unclear from this text alone how the fees and assessments will be calculated or enforced by local governments.

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 cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026

  8. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 0

  9. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  11. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate State & Local Gov't Committee on 3/31/2026

  12. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/31/2026

  13. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  19. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  20. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  24. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  25. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2115
By Martin G

SENATE BILL 2581
By Gardenhire
SB2581
012015
- 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 5-3-103(c), is amended by deleting
"ninety (90) days" and substituting "one hundred (100) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.