Tennessee House Bill HB1416

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/26/25
• Refer: 3/3/25
• Refer: 3/10/25
• Refer: 4/8/25
• Engrossed: 4/16/25
• Enrolled: 4/24/25
• Passed: 5/21/25
• Chaptered: 6/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Chapter 87 of the Private Acts of 1985; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Charter of the City of Germantown.

Summary

HB1416 is a private act amending the charter of the City of Germantown, Tennessee. The bill adds a new requirement that the city mayor serve in a full-time capacity, devote full attention to the office, and serve the city’s interests as a full-time official. It also directs that the mayor’s salary be set by lawful ordinance adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with compensation intended to match the typical duties and obligations of a full-time mayor. The act is not self-executing statewide; it only takes effect if approved by Germantown voters in a binding referendum. The referendum is scheduled for the first Tuesday in May 2026 if a Shelby County primary is held that day, or otherwise for August 6, 2026, alongside the Shelby County general election. The ballot must present the exact language of the act, and the election is to be conducted and certified under the usual election laws applicable to primary or general elections.

Impact

If approved by local voters, the bill would amend the private charter governing Germantown’s municipal structure by converting the mayoral office into a full-time position and shifting salary-setting authority to local ordinance. This would affect the duties, expectations, and compensation of the city’s mayor and could alter how the office is staffed and administered under the charter provisions of Chapter 87 of the Private Acts of 1985 and related amendatory acts. Until voter approval and certification, the charter change has no legal effect.

Sentiment

The available legislative history shows strong, unanimous support for the bill at every recorded stage. It received favorable recommendations in the House Private Acts Committee and the House State & Local Government Committee, passed the House on consent calendar, and later received a unanimous motion to adopt. The lack of recorded opposition suggests the proposal was viewed as a routine local charter amendment rather than a controversial policy change.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the legislative record, and no committee transcript is available to show substantive debate. The only potentially sensitive issue is the policy choice to require a full-time mayor and allow the local board to set salary by ordinance, which could raise questions about cost, workload, and the balance of authority between the mayor and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. However, the unanimous votes indicate that any such concerns did not generate formal opposition in the General Assembly.