Tennessee Senate Bill SB2264

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Engrossed: 4/21/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 3 and Title 8, relative to lobbying.

Summary

SB2264 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s lobbying law. Under current law, certain boards, utilities, districts, departments, agencies, or other entities that hire contractors or subcontractors to engage in lobbying are not treated as the employer of a lobbyist for purposes of the lobbying statutes. This bill revises that language so the exemption is specifically tied to departments, agencies, or entities of state government that employ a contractor, subcontractor, or other representative to engage in lobbying. In practical terms, the bill clarifies that when state government hires outside parties to lobby, the state entity itself is not considered the lobbyist’s employer under the lobbying registration and regulation provisions. The measure amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 6, and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill makes a targeted amendment to Tennessee’s lobbying disclosure and regulation statutes by narrowing and clarifying the employer-exemption language in T.C.A. § 3-6-301(15)(D). It affects how state government entities are treated when they retain contractors, subcontractors, or other representatives for lobbying activities, but it does not appear to create a new regulatory scheme or broadly expand lobbying restrictions. The primary impact is on state agencies and other state government entities that use outside lobbyists, as well as the lobbyists and contractors working for them.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been generally favorable in committee and on the floor. It was recommended for passage by the Senate State & Local Government Committee and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, and it passed the floor by a comfortable margin. The vote history suggests broad support for the clarification, with only a small minority opposed at each stage.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the scope of the exemption and whether the language should apply broadly to all boards, utilities, districts, departments, agencies, or entities, or be limited to departments, agencies, or entities of state government. The amendment narrows the wording, which may reflect concern about how the lobbying-employer rule applies to different public bodies. The recorded opposition was limited, indicating that any disagreement was likely about statutory precision and the reach of the exemption rather than the overall policy direction.