Tennessee House Bill HB1982

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/26
• Refer: 2/4/26
• Refer: 2/18/26
• Refer: 3/11/26
• Refer: 3/25/26
• Refer: 3/31/26
• Chaptered: 5/5/26
• Passed: 5/5/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 19, relative to auctioneers.

Summary

HB1982 amends Tennessee’s auctioneer licensing law in Title 62, Chapter 19. The bill changes the minimum age requirement for an auctioneer license by lowering it from 18 to 16 years old. In practical terms, it would allow younger individuals to qualify for licensure and participate in the auctioneering profession earlier than under current law. The measure is narrow and targeted, affecting only the age eligibility standard for auctioneers. It does not appear to change other licensing requirements, regulatory oversight, or enforcement provisions in the auctioneer statutes. The bill was introduced as HB1982 but ultimately advanced and passed as a substitute measure, Senate Bill 1904, and became Public Chapter No. 840.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 62-19-111(a)(1)(A) by replacing the minimum age for auctioneer licensure from 18 to 16. This directly affects the state’s auctioneer licensing framework and the individuals eligible to apply for a license, including younger applicants who may now enter the profession sooner. No other statutes are changed by the text provided, and the bill takes effect upon becoming law.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have had broadly favorable support throughout the legislative process. It moved through subcommittee, full committee, and floor consideration with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including a 93-0 consent calendar passage on third consideration. The available record suggests little to no opposition in committee or on the floor, and the measure was treated as noncontroversial.

Contention

There is no recorded committee transcript or visible floor debate in the materials provided, and the votes were unanimous at each stage, so no explicit points of contention are documented. Any potential concern would likely have centered on whether 16-year-olds should be allowed to obtain an auctioneer license, but the legislative history provided does not show organized opposition or disagreement on that issue.