Tennessee Senate Bill SB0725

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 11, Chapter 13 and Title 68, relative to scenic rivers.

Summary

SB0725 makes targeted changes to Tennessee law governing scenic rivers and related land-use protections. The bill adds language to the scenic rivers chapter stating that the chapter is not intended to be used to circumvent laws, zoning ordinances, or binding legal precedent involving property rights, boundary expansion, or land acquisitions. It also repeals several existing statutory provisions in Title 11 and Title 68 that relate to scenic river regulation. In practical terms, the bill narrows or removes certain statutory provisions tied to scenic river designations and management, while clarifying that scenic river law should not override other legal rules affecting property and local land-use decisions. Because the bill deletes multiple sections of the Tennessee Code, it would alter the legal framework for scenic river protections and any associated administrative or regulatory authority contained in those provisions.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 11, Chapter 13 and Title 68 by adding a limitation on the purpose of the scenic rivers chapter and by repealing three specific code sections: 68-211-118, 68-212-120, and 68-212-223, as well as deleting subsection 11-13-111(b). These changes would affect state scenic river policy, property owners, local governments, and any agencies or entities relying on the repealed provisions for river-related land use, conservation, or regulatory actions.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to reflect a property-rights and local-control approach to scenic river regulation, suggesting support from those concerned about regulatory overreach and possible resistance from conservation or river-protection interests.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely whether scenic river protections should be allowed to influence or limit property rights, zoning, boundary expansion, or land acquisition decisions. Supporters would likely favor the bill’s clarification that scenic river law should not be used to bypass other legal constraints, while opponents may view the deletions as weakening environmental, conservation, or river-management protections. The bill’s repeal of multiple code sections suggests a broader rollback of existing scenic river-related authority, which could be controversial among affected agencies, landowners, and environmental stakeholders.