Tennessee House Bill HB0763

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/24/25
• Refer: 3/12/25
• Refer: 4/8/25
• Chaptered: 4/29/25
• Passed: 4/29/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 12; Title 12, Chapter 3 and Title 29, relative to insurance.

Summary

HB0763, as enacted as Public Chapter No. 260, makes a narrow amendment to Tennessee’s governmental liability/insurance-related statutes. The bill changes language in Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-20-407 by replacing the phrase “governmental entities representing cities and counties” with “cities, counties, or other governmental entities as contemplated by this part.” In practical terms, the bill appears to clarify and broaden the statutory wording so that the provision applies not only to entities specifically representing cities and counties, but also to other governmental entities covered by the same part of the code. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends Title 29, Chapter 20 of the Tennessee Code, which is part of the Governmental Tort Liability Act framework, and is captioned as relating to insurance. Its legal effect is limited to a wording change in § 29-20-407, potentially affecting how cities, counties, and other governmental entities are identified under that section and how related liability or insurance provisions are applied or interpreted.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have had broadly favorable, noncontroversial support. It advanced unanimously in the House Cities & Counties Subcommittee, the House State & Local Government Committee, and on the House floor by consent calendar passage, indicating little to no opposition in the available record. The absence of committee transcript discussion also suggests the measure was viewed as a technical or clarifying change rather than a substantive policy dispute.

Contention

No notable contention is reflected in the available materials. The only discernible issue is the scope of the statutory wording change—whether the provision should expressly include “cities, counties, or other governmental entities” instead of the narrower phrase “governmental entities representing cities and counties.” Because the bill passed unanimously and without recorded debate, any concern would likely have been limited to technical drafting or interpretation rather than policy disagreement.