Tennessee House Bill HB1763

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/26
• Refer: 1/22/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 1; Title 4 and Title 58, Chapter 4, relative to state property.

Summary

HB1763 renames the plazas in front of War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. The bill designates the areas formerly known as Legislative Plaza and War Memorial Plaza as the "Winfield Dunn War Memorial Plaza," honoring former Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn. It is a straightforward naming measure affecting state-owned property rather than a substantive policy change. To carry out the renaming, the bill updates several references in the Tennessee Code so that existing statutes use the new plaza name. Those changes appear in provisions in Title 3, Title 4, and Title 58 that refer to the plaza for purposes of state property, legislative operations, and related public space references. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated in multiple places to replace references to "Legislative Plaza" and "War Memorial Plaza" with "Winfield Dunn War Memorial Plaza." This affects state law governing the naming and statutory references to the plaza area, but does not alter broader regulatory authority, property ownership, or public use rules. The practical impact is limited to official nomenclature and consistency across the code.

Sentiment

The available record suggests the bill is largely ceremonial and likely noncontroversial, with no recorded committee debate, amendments, or votes indicating opposition. Because it is a naming bill honoring a former governor, the general sentiment appears favorable or neutral, with the measure presented as a straightforward recognition of Winfield Dunn rather than a contested policy issue.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially sensitive aspect is the decision to rename a prominent state plaza and replace long-standing statutory references, which could draw attention from those attached to the existing names or concerned about honoring a particular individual. However, there is no evidence in the record of organized opposition, procedural dispute, or substantive disagreement.