Regional Authorities and Special Districts - As enacted, adds Claiborne, Union, and Grainger counties to the membership of the North East Tennessee Railroad Authority if certain requirements are met; makes other related , the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 650

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1739

                                                     By Seal, Kyle, Powers

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 1676

                                                           By Eldridge

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 56, Part 2 and Title 64, Chapter 2,
          relative to railroad authorities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-2-101, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting instead:

                    (a)(1) There is created the North East Tennessee railroad authority in the counties of
                   Anderson, Campbell, and Scott.

                              (2) The North East Tennessee railroad authority must also include the
                    counties of Claiborne, Union, and Grainger upon all three (3) of those counties
                    satisfying the requirements of§ 64-2-102(b).

                    (b) This authority is intended to secure economic benefits to the counties that are
          members of the North East Tennessee railroad authority, by providing for the continuation of
          railroad service in those counties.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-2-102, is amended by designating the
existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following as a new subsection (b):

                    (b) The North East Tennessee railroad authority must include the counties of
          Claiborne, Union, and Grainger, and this part applies to those counties, when:

                              (1) Claiborne, Union, and Grainger counties are authorized, by a vote of two-
                    thirds (2/3) of their respective governing bodies, to become members of the authority;

                              (2) Evidence of such authorization is proclaimed and countersigned by the
                    presiding officer of each ratifying county certified by that presiding officer to the
                    secretary of state; and

                              (3) The governing bodies of all three (3) counties have indicated their
                    willingness to appropriate sufficient funds to support the administration of the
                    authority along with the existing county members of the authority.

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-2-110, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting instead:

                    All contracts of the authority must be entered into and executed in such manner as
          may be prescribed by statutes, regulations, and procedures governing contracting by county
          governments; provided, that a contract or acquisition by purchase of equipment, apparatus,
          materials, or supplies involving more than the applicable maximum threshold over which
          public advertising and sealed competitive bids or proposals are required for nonemergency,
          nonproprietary purchases as established pursuant to § 12-3-1212, or for construction,
          installation, repair, or improvement of the property or facilities involving more than such
          applicable maximum threshold must not be made until after the contract has been advertised
          for bids. Purchases of like items must be aggregated for the purposes of the bid threshold.

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SB 1739
          Advertisement is not required when an emergency arises and requires immediate delivery of
          the supplies or performance of the service.
          SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

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         SENATE BILL NO. 1739

PASSED:  March 19, 2026

                                            RANDY Mc~LLY
                               SPEAKER OF THE SEJIATE

                         CAMERUN SEXTON, SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this 1--S~ day o f ~  2026

         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR