Tennessee Senate Bill SB0265

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 42, Chapter 3; Title 42, Chapter 4 and Title 55, relative to airports.

Summary

SB0265 amends Tennessee law to rename a specific international airport operated by a metropolitan airport authority in a county with a metropolitan form of government and a population over 500,000 as the “Trump International Airport.” The bill directs the airport authority to erect signs or markers reflecting the new name and to take other actions needed to implement the designation. The measure also requires the authority to update trademarks, contracts, bylaws, and related filings so that the airport’s name is changed consistently across legal and administrative documents. If existing contracts cannot be immediately revised, the authority must use the new name when contracts are renewed, terminated, canceled, or newly executed. During the transition period, the airport may continue operating under its existing registered or trademarked name while identifying itself as “doing business as Trump International Airport.”

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 42 and 55 by creating a new, highly specific naming requirement for an airport authority in a large metropolitan county. It would affect the airport authority’s governance documents, trademark registrations, contracts, and filings with local, state, and federal agencies, while also requiring physical signage changes. The practical effect is limited to the identified airport and authority, but it would impose administrative and legal obligations to align all references to the airport with the new statutory name.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented legislative debate or vote history to measure support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears highly symbolic and politically charged because it names an airport after Donald Trump, suggesting it would likely draw strong reactions from both supporters and opponents. The absence of recorded discussion means the overall sentiment cannot be confirmed from the available materials.

Contention

The main point of contention is the mandated renaming of the airport to honor Donald Trump, which is likely to be politically divisive. Another possible issue is the bill’s interference with existing trademarks, contracts, and governing documents, since it compels the authority to revise legal and business records and may require renegotiation or amendment of third-party agreements. Because the bill is narrowly tailored to a specific airport and metropolitan authority, any opposition would likely focus on the appropriateness of the name change, the administrative burden, and the precedent of legislatively directing branding and naming decisions.