AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47; Title 55 and Title 68, relative to manufactured homes.
Summary
HB1142 updates Tennessee law by standardizing the definition of “manufactured home” across multiple titles of the Tennessee Code. Specifically, it amends provisions in Title 47 (commercial law), Title 55 (motor vehicles), and Title 68 (health and safety-related provisions) so that each uses the same federal definition found in 42 U.S.C. § 5402(6). The bill does not create a new regulatory program; instead, it aligns existing state statutes with federal law and with one another.
By cross-referencing the federal definition, the bill is intended to reduce ambiguity and ensure consistent treatment of manufactured homes in different legal contexts, such as transactions, titling/registration, and other state regulatory provisions. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends three separate sections of the Tennessee Code to replace existing state-specific definitions of “manufactured home” with the federal definition in 42 U.S.C. § 5402(6). This affects how manufactured homes are interpreted under commercial, transportation/vehicle, and health-related statutes, promoting uniformity across agencies and legal settings. It is a definitional conformity measure rather than a substantive policy change.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee 10-0, the House Commerce Committee 23-0, and the full House on consent calendar with 96 yeas and no nays. The lack of recorded opposition or committee debate suggests general agreement that the bill is a technical cleanup or harmonization measure.
Contention
There is no recorded substantive contention in the available materials. Because the bill simply adopts a federal definition for manufactured homes across multiple titles, any potential concerns would likely have centered on whether the federal definition is the best fit for Tennessee law or whether conforming changes could have downstream effects on related regulations. However, no opposition, amendments, or disputed issues are reflected in the votes or available discussion.