Tennessee Senate Bill SB1610

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/26
• Engrossed: 3/9/26
• Enrolled: 4/27/26
• Passed: 5/22/26
• Chaptered: 5/27/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 26, relative to sober living homes.

Summary

SB1610 amends Tennessee’s sober living home law by narrowing the definition of “local government” in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 26. Under the bill, the term applies only to a county and its incorporated cities or towns that fall within two very specific 2020-or-later census population ranges: one county population range of 366,200 to 366,300 and one city/town population range of 79,800 to 79,900. The bill is framed as an amendment to the existing statutory scheme governing sober living homes, but the text itself is limited to this definitional change.

Impact

The practical effect of the bill is to limit which local governments are covered by or can act under the sober living home provisions in Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 26. By using narrow population brackets, the law appears tailored to a particular county and municipality rather than applying statewide. This may affect local zoning, licensing, enforcement, or regulatory authority related to sober living homes in the identified jurisdictions, while leaving other Tennessee local governments outside the statute’s definition.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support for the bill. It passed the Senate Health and Welfare Committee unanimously, was adopted on the Senate floor without opposition, and then passed on third consideration in the House with only one dissenting vote. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern suggests broad agreement and little visible controversy among legislators.

Contention

Because the bill text is narrowly drafted to specific census population ranges, the main point of contention is likely the targeted nature of the legislation. Such population-based definitions can be viewed as a way to address a local issue without creating a statewide rule, but they can also raise concerns about special legislation or unequal treatment of similarly situated communities. The near-unanimous votes indicate that any objections were limited, with only a single no vote on final passage.