AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 1, relative to the general assembly.
Summary
SB1158 amends Tennessee law governing legislative expense and mileage reimbursements. Under current law, members of the General Assembly are entitled to certain expense and mileage allowances during a regular or special session. This bill adds a new provision stating that a legislator may receive those allowances for a Saturday or Sunday if the member is traveling on that day to attend, or in anticipation of attending, a meeting that is germane to the business of the General Assembly for that session.
The practical effect is to expand reimbursement eligibility to include weekend travel associated with legislative work, so long as the travel is tied to a qualifying session-related meeting. The bill does not change the amount of the allowances or create a new category of payment; rather, it clarifies when existing expense and mileage rules apply. The act is scheduled to take effect on November 3, 2026.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 3-1-106, by adding a new subsection that expressly authorizes expense and mileage allowances for weekend travel connected to legislative business during regular or special sessions. It affects members of the General Assembly and the state’s reimbursement administration, potentially increasing reimbursable travel claims for Saturdays and Sundays when the statutory conditions are met.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available record. Based on the text alone, the bill appears administrative and narrowly focused on legislative operations rather than policy controversy.
Contention
The only likely point of contention is whether legislators should be reimbursed for weekend travel before attending session-related meetings, especially when the travel is described as being “in anticipation of attending” a meeting. Critics could view this as broadening public reimbursement for lawmakers, while supporters may argue it simply aligns reimbursement rules with the realities of legislative schedules and travel. No specific individuals or groups are identified in the available materials as taking either side.