All Roll Calls
Yes: 129 • No: 17
TennesseeHB 0888114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 10, relative to certain political campaign committees.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Campaigns and Campaign Finance
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 1 mixed.
Privacy protections for tax-exempt group donors
Beginning May 1, 2025, Tennessee and local governments, courts, and court officers generally cannot collect or demand tax-exempt groups’ donor identities. Collection is allowed when the information directly relates to an alleged violation. Identities generally cannot be shared publicly or with government officials outside the investigation; a violating donor can be identified only after a final determination. Knowing or willful violations of the disclosure restriction are Class A misdemeanors. These protections cover tax-exempt 501(c) groups, not 527 political organizations.
Campaign violators face court penalties
Beginning May 1, 2025, courts must order relief to stop violations when the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance wins an enforcement case. Courts may award damages up to twice the banned contribution or spending amount. For a knowing or willful violation, courts may add a penalty up to three times those damages.
Foreign funding limits for measure campaigns
Beginning May 1, 2025, Tennessee measure campaign committees cannot knowingly or willfully seek or accept banned contributions or spending, directly or indirectly. Banned sources include foreign nationals: people who are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents, foreign governments, parties, and businesses. The definition also covers wholly or majority foreign-owned U.S. entities, with U.S.-operations funding and U.S.-citizen or permanent-resident decision-making requirements. Setting overall budget amounts is an exception to that decision-making requirement. Foreign nationals cannot control or join another person’s decisions about influencing a measure, or ask others to fund that activity.
Measure campaigns must check donor funding
Beginning May 1, 2025, a new measure campaign committee’s treasurer must certify its early activities used no banned funding. The certification goes to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance and covers direct and indirect funding. Early activities include polls, drafting ballot language, focus groups, phone calls, and travel. For each contribution, the treasurer must obtain the donor’s affirmation that the donor is not a foreign national. Donors must also affirm they have not knowingly or willfully accepted more than $100,000 total from banned sources during the preceding four years.
New funding checks for independent campaign spending
Beginning May 1, 2025, independent spenders supporting or opposing a ballot measure must certify funding sources within 48 hours. Independent spending means express advocacy made without cooperation, prior consent, a request, or a suggestion from the measure’s campaign committee. Spenders must certify to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance that they have not knowingly or willfully accepted more than $100,000 total from banned sources during the preceding four years. They must also certify they will not accept such funds through the end of the ballot measure’s calendar year. Covered committees and independent spenders must keep contribution and spending records for at least two years after the related election.
Campaign violations trigger refunds and repayments
Beginning May 1, 2025, a committee found to have violated this law must refund the contribution to its original donor within 30 days. An independent spender found in violation must pay the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance the reported spending cost within 30 days. If either finding is appealed, the money must stay in escrow until the final order. If the committee or spender cannot pay, its directors, officers, or executive members are personally liable. Each can be held responsible for the full amount owed.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
T.J. Hardaway
Democrat • House
Dan Howell
Republican • House
Kelly Keisling
Republican • House
Bryan Terry
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/21/2025
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2025
Yes: 28 • No: 1
House vote • 4/16/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025
Yes: 75 • No: 15
House vote • 4/14/2025
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 4/8/2025
HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
Yes: 20 • No: 0
House vote • 3/11/2025
HOUSE ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGN FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 6 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Effective date(s) 05/21/2025
5/27/2025Pub. Ch. 506
5/27/2025Signed by Governor.
5/21/2025Transmitted to Governor for his action.
5/9/2025HouseSigned by Senate Speaker
5/8/2025SenateSigned by H. Speaker
4/30/2025HouseEnrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
4/24/2025HousePassed Senate, Ayes 28, Nays 1, PNV 2
4/21/2025SenateSenate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
4/21/2025SenateReceived from House, Passed on First Consideration
4/17/2025SenateEngrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
4/16/2025HousePassed H., Ayes 75, Nays 15, PNV 0
4/16/2025HouseSponsor(s) Added.
4/16/2025HouseH. Placed on Regular Calendar 4/16/2025
4/14/2025HouseObjected to on Consent Calendar.
4/14/2025HouseH. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/14/2025
4/10/2025HousePlaced on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025
4/9/2025HouseRec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
4/8/2025HousePlaced on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025
4/2/2025HouseAction def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025
4/2/2025HousePlaced on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025
3/26/2025HouseAction def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025
3/26/2025HousePlaced on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025
3/19/2025HouseAction def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025
3/19/2025HousePlaced on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025
3/12/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
Introduced
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