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TennesseeHB 1804114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT to amend Chapter 120 of the Private Acts of 1915; as amended and rewritten by Chapter 21 of the Private Acts of 2009; Chapter 44 of the Private Acts of 2018; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Town of Mason.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Mason

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

11 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.

Mason workers must keep required certifications

Board-appointed department directors must maintain the minimum qualifications required for their jobs. Employees whose jobs require state or federal certification must file certificates and continuing-education records on time. Failure can lead to immediate termination. During an assigned correction period, employees may face unpaid suspension or demotion to an available lower position.

Mason officials must disclose conflicts

The Board must adopt, publish, and maintain an ethics policy that follows state law. Members must confirm in writing at least annually that they received, read, and understand it. They must keep property, business, investment, and income disclosures current and file an accurate statement at least annually. Before discussing a matter involving a conflict, members must disclose it publicly and step aside from discussion and voting.

Mason requires legal and financial oversight

Mason must maintain a qualified Town Attorney and a Finance Director who is a Town employee. The Board appoints the attorney, sets pay and benefits, and can end the appointment at will. The attorney must be licensed to practice in Tennessee, advises and represents the Town, and approves its legal documents. Vacancies require temporary attorney coverage or assignment of finance duties to a qualified Town employee, if available, while replacements are sought promptly. Official documents and transactions requiring signatures need two Board members' signatures. A resolution must authorize at least three Aldermen as backup signers; authorized members can act when the Mayor is absent or fails to act.

Mason budgets require public notice

Mason's fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. The Administrator must submit a proposed budget and explanation at least 45 days before the new fiscal year. It must explain financial policies, major spending and revenue changes, and the Town's debt position. A public hearing requires at least seven days' notice, including a budget summary and locations where residents can inspect it. Before appropriating money or levying property taxes, the Board must adopt the budget by ordinance on two separate dates. If the new budget is late, current-year spending authority continues until adoption; the law sets no property-tax rate.

Mason can borrow for declared emergencies

The Board can approve emergency spending by ordinance after declaring an emergency affecting life, health, property, or public peace. If revenue not already assigned to spending is unavailable, the Board can borrow enough to meet the emergency. The next fiscal year's budget must provide for payment of the resulting obligations. Mason can also issue bonds and borrow under Tennessee law, including financing capital improvements beyond annual budget limits. The law authorizes no specific borrowing amount.

Mason faces stronger spending safeguards

Town spending cannot exceed approved amounts without a proper budget amendment, and appropriations cannot exceed available revenue and uncommitted balances. Transfers between departments must stay within one fund and be reported immediately with an explanation. Before payments or obligations, the Administrator must certify enough approved, unspent, uncommitted money is available. Exceptions cover qualifying bond-financed capital projects and contracts or leases with payments beyond the fiscal year; specified project, business, and trust funds are excluded from the budget ordinance. Violators owe the unlawfully spent or committed amount; later Board approval cannot cure violations, which must reach the Board and Tennessee Comptroller. The Administrator must promptly report likely deficits, and the Board must act to prevent or reduce them, including possible spending cuts. Unspent, uncommitted annual spending authority expires at year-end and returns to the fund balance. The Town must follow accepted accounting standards, maintain budget controls, follow purchasing rules, and obtain an independent accountant's audit each year.

Mason sets rules for elected office

Mayor and Alderman candidates must be qualified voters with six months of Town residence before the election qualifying deadline. Time living in an area annexed during the prior year counts toward that requirement. Before taking office, they must take an authorized oath to follow federal, state, and Town laws and perform their duties. Offices become vacant after resignation, death, moving away, or six continuous months of disability preventing official duties. Incompatible jobs, specified convictions, election-law violations, refusal to perform duties, charter-violation rulings, and municipal ouster convictions also create vacancies.

Mason officials face limits on pay

The Board sets the Mayor's and Aldermen's total pay and benefits by ordinance. Their compensation cannot rise or fall during their elected terms. An increase starts only after every Board seat has faced reelection since the ordinance passed.

Mason records come with copy fees

The Board appoints the Town Recorder, sets pay and benefits, and can remove the Recorder at will. The Administrator supervises the Recorder's daily work. The Recorder attends Board meetings, keeps minutes, preserves and indexes official records, and handles required ordinance publications. The Recorder provides and certifies copies, charging fees set by ordinance or resolution. The law does not set the fee amounts.

Mason controls Town jobs and pay

The Board can change Town departments and positions by ordinance, but cannot change its own membership or authority. The Administrator generally appoints and manages staff; the Board appoints department heads and other Board-appointed positions by majority vote. Appointees serve at will, and a Board majority can terminate them without cause. Jobs, duties, pay classifications, and yearly pay rates need Board budget approval; later changes require a budget amendment. Written employee rules must cover hours, attendance, leave, pay, hiring, promotion, and discipline. The rules must be filed with the Recorder, available to employees, and reviewed at least every five years.

Mason Administrator runs daily Town operations

The Board appoints the Town Administrator as an employee, not a contract agent, and can dismiss them without cause by majority vote. The Administrator runs daily operations, recommends budgets and capital priorities, and oversees purchasing, cash flow, Town property, and legal compliance. Monthly reports must show budgets, actual results, and cash and investment balances. The Mayor handles public and meeting duties but cannot oversee or interfere with the Administrator; the Vice Mayor covers unperformed mayoral duties. Aldermen cannot direct staff and must use the Administrator for contact beyond information requests that do not disrupt work. The Administrator names a qualified temporary substitute who cannot be the Mayor; the Board fills vacancies with an interim Administrator.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 146 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/2/2026

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 4/2/2026

Yes: 31 • No: 0

House vote • 3/23/2026

FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/23/2026

Yes: 82 • No: 0

House vote • 3/19/2026

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 3/18/2026

HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Yes: 22 • No: 0

House vote • 3/9/2026

HOUSE PRIVATE ACTS COMMITTEE

Yes: 11 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Pr. Ch. 41

    5/1/2026

  2. Signed by Governor.

    4/16/2026

  3. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    4/7/2026House

  4. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/6/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/6/2026House

  6. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

    4/2/2026House

  7. Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

    4/2/2026Senate

  8. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/2/2026Senate

  9. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    3/26/2026Senate

  10. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    3/24/2026House

  11. Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 0, PNV 2

    3/23/2026House

  12. H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/23/2026

    3/19/2026House

  13. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

    3/18/2026House

  14. Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

    3/18/2026House

  15. Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

    3/11/2026House

  16. Rec. for pass; ref to State & Local Government Committee

    3/9/2026House

  17. Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 3/9/2026

    3/4/2026House

  18. Action def. in Private Acts Committee to 3/9/2026

    3/2/2026House

  19. Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 3/2/2026

    2/25/2026House

  20. P2C, ref. to Private Acts Committee - State & Local Government Committee

    2/2/2026House

  21. Intro., P1C.

    1/22/2026House

  22. Filed for introduction

    1/21/2026House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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