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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 411
SENATE BILL NO. 136
By Briggs
Substituted for: House Bill No. 152
By Wright, Crawford, Howell, Keisling, Shaw, Davis
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8, Chapter 44,
relative to meetings conducted with electronic participation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-5-106, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting:
(a) Each member of a county legislative body must attend each and every session of
the body, and be allowed to vote and draw pay for attendance.
(b)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) and title 8, chapter 44, part 1, and upon the
adoption of this subsection (b) by the county legislative body by a two-thirds (2/3)
majority vote, a member of a county legislative body may participate in a scheduled
commission meeting by electronic means, including, but not limited to,
videoconferencing or other web-based media, but only for the following reasons:
(A) The commissioner is dealing with a family or medical emergency
as determined by the county legislative body;
(8) The commissioner has been called into military service; or
(C) The commissioner is unable to attend in person due to inclement
weather.
(2) A commissioner who is absent shall only participate in a meeting through
electronic means if the commissioner can be visually identified by the chair.
(3) A county legislative body may·· opt out of electronic participation in
accordance with this section in the same manner that the legislative body opts in
under subdivision (b)(1 ).
(c) A county legislative body shall not conduct a commission meeting with electronic
participation unless a._ quorum of commissioners is present at the physical location of the
meeting. No more tharnwenty percenf(20%) of thEHotal membership of the legislative body,
not to exceed three (3) members, may participate electronically.
(d) A commissioner shall· not participate electronically in commission meetings more
than two (2) times per year.
. (e)(t) All meetings of a legislative body conducted by electronic mea.ns un.per this
secti'on must remain open and accessible to the public by providing real-time; live
audio or video access to the public.
(2) A clear audio or video recording of the meeting must be made available to
the public as soon as practicable following the· meeting, and in no event more than
two (2) business days after the meeting.
SB 136
(3) In the public notice required by § 8-44-103, the county legislative body
shall provide information regarding how the public can obtain real-time, live access to,
or a broadcast of, the meeting, and the legislative body is strongly urged to provide
an agenda for the meeting in such notice.
(f) The county legislative body adopting this section shall develop a policy for
conducting meetings with electronic participation.
(g) Subsections (b)-(g) are deleted on July 1, 2028.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 6, Chapter 54, Part 1, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:
(a)(1) Notwithstanding title 8, chapter 44, part 1, or any private act, home rule, or
general law charter to the contrary, and upon adoption of this section by the municipal
legislative body by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, a member of a municipal
legislative body may participate in a scheduled legislative body meeting by electronic
means, including, but not limited to, videoconferencing or other web-based media, but
only for the following reasons:
(A) The municipal legislative body member is dealing with a family or
medical emergency as determined by the municipal legislative body;
(B) The municipal legislative body member has been called into
military service; or
(C) The municipal legislative body member is unable to attend a
meeting due to inclement weather.
(2) A municipal legislative body member who is absent shall only participate in
a meeting through electronic means if the member can be visually identified by the
chair.
(3) A municipal legislative body may opt out of electronic participation in
accordance with this section in the same manner that the legislative body opts in
under subdivision (a)(1 ).
(b) A municipal legislative body shall not conduct a meeting that includes electronic
participation unless a quorum of the municipal legislative body is present at the physical
location of the meeting. No more than twenty percent (20%) of the total membership of the
legislative body, not to exceed three (3) members, may participate electronically.
(c) A municipal legislative body member shall not participate electronically in
meetings more than two (2) times per year.
(d)(1) All meetings of a legislative body conducted by electronic means under this
section must remain open and accessible to the public by providing real-time, live
audio or video access to the public.
(2) A clear audio or video recording of the meeting must be made available to
the public as soon as practicable following the meeting, and in no event more than
two (2) business days after the meeting.
(3) In the public notice required by § 8-44-103, the municipal legislative body
shall provide information regarding how the public can obtain real-time, live access to,
or a broadcast of, the meeting, and the legislative body is strongly urged to provide
an agenda for the meeting in such notice.
(e) The municipal legislative body shall develop a policy for conducting meetings that
include electronic participation.
(f) This section is deleted on July 1, 2028.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
2
SENATE BILL NO. 136
PASSED: Apri I 21, 2025
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SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
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CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APPROVED this g\fl.. day of rV\C& J ~ 2025
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BILL LEE, GOVERNOREvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.