AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 1, relative to the general assembly.
Summary
SB2012 amends Tennessee law governing legislative expense and mileage allowances for members of the General Assembly. The bill gives the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House authority to determine how many conferences, or conference days, a legislator may attend and still receive expense and mileage reimbursement under Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 3-1-106. It also requires that the number of approved conferences or conference days be the same for both chambers.
The bill defines “conference” broadly to include conferences, symposiums, workshops, assemblages, gatherings, or other official meetings concerning state business and the duties of a legislator, whether held inside or outside Tennessee. The act is set to take effect on November 3, 2026.
Impact
The bill narrows and clarifies the administration of legislative travel reimbursements by shifting discretion over conference eligibility to the presiding officers of each chamber. It amends Title 3, Chapter 1 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 3-1-106, affecting how expense and mileage allowances are calculated for senators and representatives attending official meetings. The practical effect is to standardize conference participation limits across both chambers while leaving the underlying reimbursement framework in place.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears procedural and administrative rather than controversial on its face. The equal-treatment requirement for both chambers suggests an intent to maintain parity between the House and Senate in access to reimbursable conferences. No formal opposition or support is documented in the supplied context.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the delegation of authority to the Senate and House Speakers to decide how many conferences or conference days qualify for reimbursement, which could be viewed as increasing leadership control over member travel and expense eligibility. Another possible issue is how broadly the bill defines “conference,” since the definition could encompass a wide range of official legislative events inside or outside the state. However, no specific objections, amendments, or recorded disputes are included in the provided history.