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State f/Jennmsee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 978
SENATE BILL NO. 2473
By Bailey, Rose, Gardenhire
Substituted for: House Bill No. 2507
By Mr. Speaker Sexton, Garrett, Bricken
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7 and Title 42, relative to airport
authorities.
WHEREAS, the State's regional and metropolitan airports and the governance thereof are
important matters of statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, the governance and composition of metropolitan airport authorities and regional
airport authorities has a direct relationship with the direction, success, safety, and security of
regional and metropolitan airports; now, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 42-4-105, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting instead:
(a) The board of commissioners of each existing authority is vacated and
reconstituted pursuant to this section.
(b) The governing body of an authority in this state is a board of commissioners of
nine (9) persons appointed as follows:
(1) Two (2) persons to be appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives, one (1) of whom is a resident of the county in which the airport is
located and one (1) of whom is a resident of a county in the region surrounding the
airport;
(2) Two (2) persons to be appointed by the speaker of the senate, one (1) of
whom is a resident of the county in which the airport is located and one (1) of whom
is a resident of a county in the region surrounding the airport;
(3) Two (2) persons to be appointed by the governor, both of whom are
residents of a county in the region surrounding the airport; and
(4) Except as provided in subsection (c), three (3) persons appointed by the
executive officer of the creating municipality and approved by its governing body, all
of whom are residents of the creating municipality.
(c)(1) If there is one (1) participating municipality, then one (1) person appointed
pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) must be from a list of qualified nominees submitted by
the executive officer of that participating municipality.
(2) If there are two (2) or more participating municipalities, then up to two (2)
persons appointed pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) must be from lists of qualified
nominees submitted by each of the executive officers of the participating
municipalities.
(d) Persons appointed to the board:
SB 2473
(1) Must have no financial interest in an airport or its concessions at the time
of the commissioner's appointment and during the commissioner's tenure on the
board; and
(2) Must not be an officer or employee of the creating municipality or
participating municipality.
(e) In order to stagger the terms of the newly appointed board, initial appointments
are made as follows:
(1) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (b)(3) serve initial two-year
terms;
(2) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (b)(1) serve initial three-year
terms;
(3) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (b)(2) serve initial four-year
terms; and
(4) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (b)(4) serve initial five-year
terms.
(f) Following the expiration of a commissioner's initial term, as prescribed in
subsection (e), all terms are four (4) years, to begin on July 1 and terminate on June 30, four
(4) years thereafter. The beginning of an initial term is deemed to be July 1 of the calendar
year in which the appointment occurs, regardless of whether the actual appointment date
occurs before or after July 1 of that year.
(g) In making the appointments to the board, the appointing authorities shall strive to
ensure that the membership is representative of the geographic and demographic
composition of this state or the creating municipality and at least one (1) commissioner is a
female.
(h) In addition to subsection (g), in making the appointments to the board, the
appointing authorities shall ensure that each commissioner is generally a person of excellent
character and reputation and a person in good standing and reputation in one (1) of the
following fields:
(1) Engineering or architecture, with a license to practice in the state and an
active practice in such profession for the preceding five (5) years;
(2) Law, with a license to practice before the highest court in this state for a
period of not less than five (5) years;
(3) Industry, business, or commerce;
(4) Public safety;
(5) Aviation; or
(6) Finance.
(i) A commissioner:
(1) Serves in such capacity until the expiration of the term to which the
c5>mmissioner was appointed and until the commissioner's successor is duly
appointed and qualified; and
(2) May be removed by the commissioner's appointing authority with or
• • without cause. A vacancy created by the· removal of a commissioder is filled by the
_. ap~ointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment.
U) In addition to the reporting requirements under§ 42-4-106(d) and (e), the authority
shall submit quarterly reports or briefings of the activities, plans, and conditions of the
authority, and any proposals for capital expansion or improvements to m·embers of the
governing body of the creatiog. municipality, the g'overnor, the speaker of the house of
rep·resentatives, and the speaker of the·seriate prior to the expansion or improvements.
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SB 2473
(k) The authority shall maintain its books and prepare its financial statements in a
timely manner satisfactory to the state and pay the state for all costs the state incurs in
reviewing and auditing the authority's finances.
(I) The board shall elect from among its members a chair, vice chair, and secretary,
each of whom shall continue to be voting members, and shall adopt its own bylaws and rules
of procedure. A majority of the commissioners constitutes a quorum for the transaction of
business. Except as expressly otherwise specified in this chapter, all powers granted to an
authority by this chapter must be exercised by the board.
(m) Commissioners do not receive a salary but must be reimbursed for necessary
expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 42-3-104, is amended by deleting the last
two sentences of subdivision (a)(3) and adding the following as a new subsection:
(f) Notwithstanding this section to the contrary:
(1) The governing body of an existing regional airport authority created
pursuant to subdivision (a)(3) is vacated and reconstituted pursuant to this subsection
(f).
(2) The governing body of a regional airport authority created pursuant to
subdivision (a)(3) is a board of commissioners of twelve (12) persons appointed as
follows:
(A) Two (2) persons to be appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives, one (1) of whom is a resident of a participating political
subdivision of another state, and one (1) of whom is a resident of the
participating county in which the airport is located;
(8) Two (2) persons to be appointed by the speaker of the senate, one
(1) of whom is a resident of a participating municipality located in the county in
which the airport is located and that does not border the participating political
subdivision of another state, and one (1) of whom is a resident of the
participating municipality located in the county in which the airport is not
lo'cated;
(C) Three (3) persons to be appointed by the governor, two (2) of
a whom are residents of a participating county in which the airport is not located,
and one (1) of who·m is a resident of participating municipality located in a
county in which the airport is not located;
(D) One (1) person appointed by the executive officer of the
participating county in which the airport is located and approved by its
governing body;
(E) One (1) person appointed by the executive officer of the
participating municipality located in the county in which the airport is located
and that does not border a participating political subdivision of another state
and approved by its governing body;
(F) One (1) person appointed by the executive officer of a participating
municipality located in the county in which the airport is located and that
borders a participating political subdivision of another state and approved by
its governing body; •
(G) One (1) person appQinted by the executive officer of a participating
county in 'which the airport is not located and approved by its ·governing body;
and
(H) One (1) person appointed by the executive officer of-a participating
municipality located in the county in which the airport is not located and
approved by its governing body.
(3) Persons appointed to the board must have no financial interest in an
airport or its concessions at the time of the commissioner's appointment and during
the commissioner's tenure on the board. •
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SB 2473
(4) In order to stagger the terms of the newly appointed board, initial
appointments are made as follows:
(A) CommJssioners appointed under subdivision (f)(2)(C) serve initial
two-year terms;
(8) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (f)(2)(A) serve initial
three-year terms;
(C) Commissioners appointed under subdivision (f)(2)(8) serve initial
four-year terms; and
(D) Commissioners appointed under subdivisions (f)(2)(D)-(H) serve
initial five-year terms;
(5) Following the expiration of a commissioner's initial term, as prescribed in
subdivision (f)(4}, all terms are four (4) years, to begin on July 1 and terminate on
June 30, four (4) years thereafter. The beginning of an initial term is deemed to be
July 1 of the calendar year in which the appointment occurs, regardless of whether
the actual appointment date occurs before or after July 1 of that year;
(6) In making the appointments to the board, the appointing authorities shall
strive to ensure that the membership is representative of the geographic and
demographic composition of this state; the participating municipalities and counties of
this state, or the political subdivisions of another state, and that at least one (1)
commissioner is a female;
(7) In addition to subdivision (f)(6), in making the appointments to the board,
the appointing authorities shall ensure that each commissioner is generally a person
of excellent character and reputation. It is the legislative intent that each
commissioner be a person in good standing and reputation in one (1) of the following
fields:
(A) Engineering or architecture, with a license to practice in the state
and an active practice in such profession for the preceding five (5) years;
(8) Law, with a license to practice before the highest court in this state
for a period of not less than five (5) years;
(C) Industry, business, or commerce;
(D) Public safety;
(E) Aviation; or
(F) Finance;
(8) A commissioner:
(A) Serves in such capacity until the expiration of the term to which the
commissioner was appointed and until the commissioner's successor is duly
appointed arid qualified; and
(8) May be removed by the commissioner's appointing authority with
or without cause. A vacancy c.reated by the removal of a commissioner is filled
by the appoinfo1g authority in the same manner as the original appointment;
(9) The authority shall submit quarterly reports or briefings of the activities,
plans, and conditions of the authority, and any proposals for capital expansion or
improvements to members of the legislative body of each participating municipality
and county of this state and political subdivision of another state; the governor; the
speaker of the house of representatives; and the speaker of the senate prior to the
expansion or improvements;
(10) The authority shall maintain its books and prepare its financial statements
in a timely manner satisfactory to the state and pay the state for .all costs the state
incurs in reviewing and auditing the authority's finances; and
(11) The authority is subject to all other provisions of this chapter to the extent
otherwise applicable, except as provided by this subsection (f).
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SB 2473
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 42-3-104(a), is amended by deleting the
language "subdivision (a)(1 ), (a)(2) or (a)(3)" in subdivision (4)(C) and substituting instead the
language "subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2)" and deleting the language "political subdivision of another
state" in subdivisions (4)(C) and (D) wherever it appears.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 42-3-1 0B(b}, is amended by deleting the
language "membership is appointed by the legislative bodies of five (5) or more local governments"
and substituting instead the language "membership includes five (5) or more local governments".
SECTION 5.
(a) This act does not impair, diminish, or otherwise adversely affect any retirement,
pension, insurance, leave, or other fringe benefit rights or benefits of any employee of an
airport authority that are vested or accrued as of the effective date of this act.
(b) Vested or accrued rights and benefits of an employee of an airport authority
affected by this act remain enforceable in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan,
policy, contract, or agreement.
SECTION 6. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is
held invalid, then 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 7. For purposes of appointing commissioners to the new airport authority boards,
this act takes effe_ct upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes,
including the vacation and reconstitution of any board, this act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public
welfare requiring it.
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SENATE BILL NO. 2473
PASSED: April 23, 2026
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\. . - \ RANDY l\i
SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
' l APPROVED this {qi.L day of cVh,, 2026
(u___
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