Tennessee House Bill HB0338

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 2/24/26
• Refer: 4/1/26
• Refer: 4/13/26
• Engrossed: 4/21/26
• Enrolled: 4/29/26
• Passed: 5/7/26
• Chaptered: 5/14/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 12; Title 13; Title 14; Title 15; Title 41; Title 50 and Title 57, relative to state government.

Summary

HB0338 amends Tennessee’s state-government property and public-lands statutes to create a narrow exception for Cumberland Mountain State Park. Under the bill, the commissioner of environment and conservation, with approval from the state building commission, may enter into agreements for private development, redevelopment, construction, and operation of facilities on lands under the department’s jurisdiction at that park. The department may also supervise construction, and the agreements may include the sale, lease, or other conveyance of state-owned real property. The bill further provides that the usual statutory requirements governing certain state property conveyances do not apply to these Cumberland Mountain State Park transactions. It also revises existing language in Tennessee Code Annotated § 12-2-116 to make clear that the general rule is subject to this new subsection-specific exception. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

HB0338 changes Tennessee Code Annotated § 12-2-116 and related state property-conveyance procedures by carving out Cumberland Mountain State Park from the ordinary rules that apply to state-owned land transactions. In practical terms, it gives the Department of Environment and Conservation and the State Building Commission expanded authority to approve and oversee private-public development arrangements at that park, including leases, sales, or other transfers of state property, without following the standard requirements in § 12-2-112. The bill affects state agencies responsible for parks, real property, and capital projects, as well as any private entities seeking to develop or operate facilities at the park.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislative process. It advanced unanimously through the House Departments & Agencies Subcommittee, the House State & Local Government Committee, and both floor votes, with no recorded opposition in the provided history. The absence of committee transcripts limits insight into detailed debate, but the unanimous votes suggest general agreement on the need for the park-specific authority.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the policy choice to exempt a specific state park from the usual safeguards and procedures for state property conveyances. Supporters likely viewed the measure as a targeted tool to facilitate development or redevelopment at Cumberland Mountain State Park, while critics could have concerns about private involvement in public lands, reduced procedural protections, or the transfer of state-owned property. However, the voting record provided shows no recorded opposition, so any disagreement was either minimal or resolved before final votes.