Tennessee House Bill HB1623

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/26
• Refer: 1/21/26
• Refer: 3/2/26
• Engrossed: 3/16/26
• Enrolled: 3/17/26
• Passed: 4/13/26
• Chaptered: 4/23/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 8, Chapter 4, Part 6; Title 34, Chapter 3 and Title 40, Chapter 11, Part 3, relative to state governmental entities.

Summary

HB1623 is a narrow administrative bill that updates Tennessee’s list of state governmental entities in the statutory provisions governing advisory and oversight bodies. Specifically, it adds three entities to the list of boards, committees, and task forces recognized in Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-29-248: the Advisory Committee on Open Government, the Board of Professional Bondsmen, and the Conservatorship Management Task Force. The practical effect of the bill is to ensure these entities are treated as continuing state governmental bodies under the relevant sunset/review framework, rather than expiring automatically unless reauthorized. The bill does not create new regulatory programs or change substantive duties for the listed entities; instead, it preserves their legal status within state law and aligns cross-references in Titles 8, 34, and 40 with the existing statutory structure.

Impact

HB1623 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 4, Chapter 29 to add three entities to the list of governmental bodies exempted from automatic termination under the state’s sunset law framework. By doing so, it affects the legal status of the Advisory Committee on Open Government, the Board of Professional Bondsmen, and the Conservatorship Management Task Force, ensuring they remain authorized state entities. The bill is primarily organizational and administrative, with limited direct impact on private parties except those who interact with these bodies, such as bondsmen, conservatorship stakeholders, and open government advocates.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been noncontroversial and broadly supported. It passed the House Government Operations Committee unanimously, was placed on the consent calendar, and then passed the House floor by a wide margin without any recorded opposition. The voting pattern suggests the measure was viewed as routine housekeeping legislation rather than a disputed policy change.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. Because the bill simply adds existing entities to the statutory list of continuing governmental bodies, any concerns would likely be procedural rather than ideological, such as whether the listed bodies should remain exempt from sunset review. The unanimous committee vote and consent-calendar treatment indicate no significant opposition from legislators or affected stakeholders.