Tennessee House Bill HJR7009

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/5/26
• Refer: 5/6/26

Caption

A RESOLUTION to propose an amendment to the Constitution of Tennessee, regarding the composition of congressional districts.

Summary

HJR7009 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how Tennessee’s congressional districts are drawn and revised. Under the resolution, after each decennial census, the General Assembly would establish the composition of congressional districts, and those districts could not be changed again until the next census. The proposal also limits mid-decade redistricting. Between apportionments, congressional district lines could only be changed if necessary to fix a specific violation of the U.S. Constitution or the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, and any change would have to be narrowly tailored to the minimum necessary to correct that violation. The resolution further provides for referral of the amendment to the next General Assembly and for publication on state government websites as required for constitutional amendments in Tennessee.

Impact

If adopted, this resolution would amend Article II, Section 4 of the Tennessee Constitution to restrict the General Assembly’s authority over congressional redistricting. It would lock congressional district boundaries in place between decennial censuses except in limited circumstances tied to constitutional or Voting Rights Act compliance, thereby reducing the ability to redraw districts for political or other reasons during the decade.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded debate, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a procedural and constitutional safeguard for stable districting rather than a policy change affecting substantive programs.

Contention

The main point of contention inherent in the proposal is redistricting authority: it would constrain the legislature’s ability to revise congressional district maps between censuses. Supporters would likely view this as a way to promote stability and prevent partisan mid-decade redistricting, while opponents could see it as limiting legislative flexibility and potentially making it harder to respond to changing legal or demographic conditions except when required by federal law.