Tennessee Senate Bill SB7006

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/5/26
• Failed: 5/6/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 16 and Chapter 742 of the Public Acts of 2026, relative to congressional districts.

Summary

SB7006 is a congressional redistricting bill for Tennessee. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 2-16-103(b) and related public acts to redraw the state’s nine congressional districts by specifying, in detail, which counties, voting districts, and census blocks are included in each district. The bill replaces the existing district description with a new map-based apportionment that assigns counties and precinct-level geography across Districts 1 through 9. The measure is primarily structural and electoral in nature: it changes the legal boundaries used to elect Tennessee’s members of Congress. Because the bill is highly detailed and geography-specific, it would affect voters, county election officials, and candidates by altering which congressional district they reside in and vote within. It also updates the statutory framework governing congressional district boundaries, which would control future elections unless changed again by the General Assembly or court order. The general sentiment reflected in the available history is negative or at least insufficiently supportive for advancement. The bill failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 2-9 vote, indicating strong committee opposition. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the vote outcome suggests the proposal did not attract broad support in committee. The main point of contention is redistricting itself, especially the specific configuration of district lines and the political consequences of moving counties, precincts, and census blocks between districts. Bills of this kind often raise concerns about partisan advantage, community splitting, and representation fairness, though those arguments are not spelled out in the available transcript record. The failure in committee indicates that the map changes were not acceptable to most members reviewing the bill.

Impact

This bill would amend Tennessee’s election and redistricting statutes by replacing the existing congressional district descriptions in Tennessee Code Annotated Section 2-16-103(b) with a new nine-district map. It would directly affect the legal boundaries for congressional elections, changing which counties, voting districts, and census blocks are assigned to each district and thereby altering the constituency of Tennessee’s U.S. House seats.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows the bill was not well received in committee. It failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 2-9 vote, which suggests substantial opposition and little momentum for passage. No transcript is available, so the record does not provide detailed arguments, but the vote outcome indicates a generally unfavorable sentiment toward the proposal.

Contention

The central controversy is the redrawing of congressional district lines, including how counties and precincts are split or grouped across districts. Such changes can affect partisan balance, community representation, and incumbent or candidate electoral prospects. Although no transcript is available to identify specific objections, the committee defeat suggests members disagreed over the fairness or policy implications of the proposed map.