Tennessee House Bill HB0043

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 12/18/24
• Refer: 1/15/25
• Refer: 2/10/25
• Failed: 2/19/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 3, relative to state symbols.

Summary

HB0043 amends Tennessee’s state symbols statute to add a new official state song: "Tennessee" by Arrested Development. The bill is very short and does not change broader policy; it simply expands the list of state symbols in Tennessee Code Annotated Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 3. If enacted, the measure would formally recognize the song as a state symbol alongside other designated emblems and honors. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting the legislature’s intent to make the designation effective without delay.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-302, by inserting a new subdivision listing "Tennessee" by Arrested Development as an official state symbol. Its legal effect is limited to the state symbols chapter and would not directly alter regulatory, tax, or programmatic law, but it would create a formal statutory recognition of the song for state ceremonial and symbolic purposes.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have had mixed to negative support in committee. It received a favorable recommendation from the House Naming & Designating Committee, but then failed in the House State & Local Government Committee by a 9-11 vote. The vote history suggests some interest in the symbolic designation, but not enough consensus to advance it through the committee process.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to have been whether the song should be elevated to official state-symbol status. Supporters in the naming and designating process were willing to advance the bill, while opponents in the State & Local Government Committee were not persuaded, leading to its failure there. Because there were no transcripts provided, the specific objections are not stated, but the split vote indicates disagreement over the appropriateness or priority of adding a new state symbol.