Tennessee House Bill HB1417

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/26/25
• Refer: 3/3/25
• Refer: 3/17/25
• 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 553 of the Acts of 1903; as amended by Chapter 311 of the Private Acts of 1974 and Chapter 233 of the Private Acts of 1978; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the city judge of the City of Tullahoma.

Summary

HB1417 is a private act affecting the City of Tullahoma’s municipal court system. It amends the city’s charter provisions governing the city judge by extending the term of the judge then in office by one year, from the August 2025 expiration to the first Thursday in August 2026. After that, the office would be filled on the same schedule as Tullahoma’s mayor and aldermen, with elections held at the city’s biannual August municipal elections in even-numbered years. The bill also changes the length of the city judge’s term going forward. Beginning in 2026, the judge would serve an eight-year term, with elections for the office every eight years thereafter. It preserves the requirement that the judge be a practicing attorney in good standing, admitted in Tennessee, and a resident and domiciliary of Tullahoma for at least one year before the election, with residency determined under state election law. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen would continue to set compensation by ordinance, and the judge’s duties and powers would remain governed by the city code and local ordinances.

Impact

The bill amends a private act governing the City of Tullahoma, specifically the provisions on election, qualifications, compensation, and term length for the city judge. It does not create a new statewide program or alter general state court law, but it changes the local charter-style rules for this one municipal office. The act takes effect only if approved by a two-thirds vote of Tullahoma’s legislative body, and the city must certify that approval or rejection to the secretary of state.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support at every stage, with no recorded dissent in committee or on the floor. The bill passed the House Private Acts Committee, the House State & Local Government Committee, and floor consideration by wide margins, indicating broad agreement that the change was routine and locally focused. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no evidence of substantive opposition in the record supplied.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the available materials. The only potentially sensitive issue is the extension of the sitting city judge’s term by one year and the move to an eight-year term cycle, which could be viewed as altering the timing of local judicial elections. However, the unanimous votes suggest that any concerns were minimal or resolved. The bill also requires local approval by Tullahoma’s governing body, meaning the city itself retains the final say before the act has practical effect.