Tennessee House Bill HB0891

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 43; Title 44; Title 55; Title 64; Title 67; Title 69 and Title 70, relative to wildlife.

Summary

HB0891 makes a narrow reporting change to Tennessee’s wildlife preserve law. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 70-5-105 to require the governor’s office, by January 15 of each year, to submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over natural resources. The report must identify all lands and waters that the governor has set apart and dedicated as wildlife preserves, and it must also describe the boundaries or limits of those preserves. The bill does not create new wildlife preserves, change conservation standards, or alter public access rules. Instead, it adds an annual administrative disclosure requirement intended to keep lawmakers informed about the location and extent of state wildlife preserves. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends Title 70, Chapter 5 of the Tennessee Code by adding a new annual reporting duty for the governor’s office regarding state wildlife preserves. Its practical effect is to increase legislative oversight and transparency over lands and waters designated for wildlife preservation, while leaving the underlying authority to set apart such lands and waters unchanged. The bill affects the governor’s office and the legislative committees with natural resources jurisdiction, but it does not directly impose obligations on private landowners, hunters, or conservation groups.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, the bill appears to be noncontroversial and administrative in nature. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes showing debate, opposition, or amendments, and the measure’s limited scope suggests it was likely viewed as a routine oversight or information-sharing bill rather than a substantive policy change. The absence of recorded contention indicates general neutrality or quiet support.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. If any concerns were raised, they would most likely have centered on whether the reporting requirement adds unnecessary administrative burden to the governor’s office or whether the legislature already receives sufficient information about wildlife preserve designations. However, no such objections are reflected in the provided transcripts or voting history.