Tennessee Senate Bill SB0779

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 68, Chapter 211, relative to solid waste.

Summary

SB0779 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s solid waste law by requiring the Department of Environment and Conservation to publish the catalog of materials on its website. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated section 68-211-843 by adding a sentence directing the department to make the catalog publicly available online. The measure does not appear to change the underlying substance of the catalog itself or alter broader solid waste permitting, disposal, or recycling rules. In practical terms, the bill is aimed at improving public access to information about what materials are included in the state’s solid waste catalog. By placing the catalog on the department’s website, the bill would make it easier for local governments, regulated entities, waste handlers, and the public to find and use the information without requesting it separately from the agency.

Impact

The bill has a limited but direct effect on Tennessee law by adding a publication requirement to existing solid waste statutes in Title 68, Chapter 211. It does not create a new regulatory program or impose new substantive obligations on waste generators or disposal facilities; instead, it requires the department to provide online access to an existing catalog of materials. The main affected party is the state environmental agency responsible for maintaining and publishing the catalog, along with stakeholders who rely on that information for compliance and planning.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes are available, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears administrative and noncontroversial, with a likely neutral-to-positive reception because it increases transparency and accessibility without adding regulatory burdens. The absence of recorded contention suggests the bill may have been viewed as a straightforward housekeeping or public-information update.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. If any concerns were raised, they would most likely relate to administrative burden on the department, the accuracy and maintenance of the online catalog, or whether the publication requirement is necessary given existing access methods. However, none of those issues are reflected in the provided transcripts or vote history.