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TennesseeHB 2649114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

AN ACT to amend Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1991; as amended by Chapter 162 of the Private Acts of 1994; Chapter 140 of the Private Acts of 1996; Chapter 132 of the Private Acts of 1998; Chapter 64 of the Private Acts of 2005; Chapter 2 of the Private Acts of 2009 and Chapter 44 of the Private Acts of 2022; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the City of Bristol.

Sponsored By: John Crawford, John (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Bristol

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

How Bristol manages school funds

State, county, and federal school funds for Bristol are paid to the city recorder. The city recorder serves as the school board’s treasurer and handles these funds. The school board can make rules for its work. The city recorder sets the accounting methods the board must use.

Bristol property tax discounts and penalties

You get 2% off your Bristol property tax if you pay on or before November 1. You get 1% off if you pay November 2–November 30. Unpaid taxes after January 31 start to earn interest on February 1 at a city-set rate up to the legal limit. A 5% penalty is added if the bill is still unpaid after March 31. Taxes assessed by the Comptroller do not owe interest or penalty until after March 31. The city can extend the no-penalty, no-interest period by up to three months. For old unpaid bills, the city recorder makes a certified list in the second year after assessment and gives it to the city attorney by March 15. The city attorney must file suit or enforce the lien before April 1.

New council and school board elections

Bristol has five city council seats: three district seats and two at-large seats. Elections are on the first Tuesday in November in even-numbered years. Any qualified voter can nominate any candidate, and all voters can vote for all seats. Winners are the highest vote-getters. Terms are four years and start at the next regular council meeting in January. The school board uses the same setup: one member from each of three districts and two at-large, with four-year staggered terms starting January 1.

New departments and faster city timelines

Bristol creates Finance, Police, Fire, and Education departments. The city manager can assign duties and staff across departments and set internal rules. City ordinances take effect 7 days after final passage, unless an emergency ordinance, which starts right away. The council can choose a later start date. A 17-day city timing window in Section 2-18 is now 7 days.

Tuition for students from outside Bristol

The school board can admit students who live outside the city. The city sets yearly tuition for those nonresident students by ordinance. At the start of each school year, the director of schools reports the count of nonresident students by classroom and grade. The city council also sets by ordinance how school taxes are paid over by the recorder on the school board’s order.

Local two-thirds approval required

This act takes effect in Bristol only after a two-thirds vote by the city’s legislative body. The presiding officer must announce the result and certify it to the secretary of state. For the approval vote, the act is effective upon becoming law. For all other purposes, it takes effect as provided in Section 10.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • John Crawford, John

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 329 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 1 4/15/2026

Yes: 96 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/13/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/13/2026

Yes: 32 • No: 0

House vote • 4/6/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/6/2026

Yes: 87 • No: 0

House vote • 4/6/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 1 BY CRAWFORD PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/6/2026

Yes: 86 • No: 0

House vote • 4/2/2026

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 3/24/2026

HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Yes: 17 • No: 0

House vote • 3/16/2026

HOUSE PRIVATE ACTS COMMITTEE

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pr. Ch. 61

    5/27/2026

  2. Signed by Governor.

    5/21/2026

  3. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    5/11/2026House

  4. Signed by Senate Speaker

    5/5/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2026House

  6. H. concurred in S. am. no. 1 Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0 HB2649

    4/15/2026House

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

    4/15/2026House

  8. H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/15/2026

    4/14/2026House

  9. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/13/2026Senate

  10. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0990)

    4/13/2026Senate

  11. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0, PNV 1

    4/13/2026Senate

  12. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    4/9/2026Senate

  13. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1012)

    4/6/2026House

  14. Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 0, PNV 4

    4/6/2026House

  15. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    4/6/2026House

  16. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

    4/2/2026House

  17. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

    4/1/2026House

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

    3/24/2026House

  19. Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

    3/18/2026House

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

    3/16/2026House

  21. Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 3/16/2026

    3/11/2026House

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

    3/9/2026House

  23. Intro., P1C.

    3/5/2026House

  24. Filed for introduction

    3/2/2026House

Bill Text

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