Tennessee House Bill HB2114

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 3/9/26
• Refer: 3/18/26
• Refer: 4/13/26
• Refer: 4/15/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, Chapter 3 and Title 8, Chapter 44, relative to public notices.

Summary

HB2114 updates Tennessee’s public notice laws to allow local governments, beginning July 1, 2027, to satisfy certain newspaper publication requirements by posting notices electronically online instead of in a newspaper of general circulation. The bill allows the electronic posting to be done by the local government itself or by a third-party provider, but requires the system to be free to the public, accessible across commonly used platforms, and designed to provide easy, equitable, and barrier-free access. To use electronic notice, a local government must first adopt an ordinance or resolution stating when electronic publication will begin, how the public can access the notices, and which notices will be posted online. The local government must also adopt a policy addressing system security, reliability, integrity, maintenance, archiving, retention, and the format and appearance of notices. The bill preserves existing law for notices that are specifically required by another statute to be published in a newspaper or periodical, which must still be published as that law requires.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1, Chapter 3 and Title 8, Chapter 44, by creating a new option for local governments to meet certain public notice obligations through electronic publication. It would affect counties, municipalities, and other local entities that currently rely on newspaper notices, while also creating compliance requirements for online notice systems and allowing third-party website operators to charge reasonable fees. It does not eliminate all newspaper notice requirements, because notices specifically mandated by other laws to appear in print would remain subject to those laws.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support and no recorded opposition at each committee stage, with unanimous or near-unanimous favorable recommendations in the House Public Service Subcommittee, House State & Local Government Committee, House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee, and House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. The overall sentiment appears positive, reflecting broad agreement on modernizing notice procedures and allowing local governments more flexibility in how they publish required notices.

Contention

The main policy tension is between modernization and preservation of public access. Supporters appear to favor electronic publication as a more flexible and potentially more efficient alternative to newspaper publication, while the bill’s safeguards suggest concern about ensuring notices remain accessible, reliable, and legally compliant. Another likely point of contention is the effect on newspapers and periodicals that have traditionally received public notice business, though the bill does not directly discuss that issue and instead preserves print publication where another law specifically requires it.