# Tennessee HB 2653: AN ACT to repeal Chapter 55 of the Private Acts of 1951; as amended by Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 1957; Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1961; Chapter 115 of the Private Acts of 1963; Chapter 191 of the Private Acts of 1967; Chapter 143 of the Private Acts of 1969; Chapter 263 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 391 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 73 of the Private Acts of 1975; Chapter 53 of the Private Acts of 1977; Chapter 149 of the Private Acts of 1981; Chapter 4 of the Private Acts of 1985; Chapter 155 of the Private Acts of 1998; Chapter 160 of the Private Acts of 2002; Chapter 59 of the Private Acts of 2012; Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2012 and Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2014; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Rutherford County Highway Commission. Tennessee HB 2653, AN ACT to repeal Chapter 55 of the Private Acts of 1951; as amended by Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 1957; Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1961; Chapter 115 of the Private Acts of 1963; Chapter 191 of the Private Acts of 1967; Chapter 143 of the Private Acts of 1969; Chapter 263 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 391 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 73 of the Private Acts of 1975; Chapter 53 of the Private Acts of 1977; Chapter 149 of the Private Acts of 1981; Chapter 4 of the Private Acts of 1985; Chapter 155 of the Private Acts of 1998; Chapter 160 of the Private Acts of 2002; Chapter 59 of the Private Acts of 2012; Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2012 and Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2014; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Rutherford County Highway Commission., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-05-01 (Pr. Ch. 52) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2653-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Tennessee HB 2653 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to repeal Chapter 55 of the Private Acts of 1951; as amended by Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 1957; Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1961; Chapter 115 of the Private Acts of 1963; Chapter 191 of the Private Acts of 1967; Chapter 143 of the Private Acts of 1969; Chapter 263 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 391 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapter 73 of the Private Acts of 1975; Chapter 53 of the Private Acts of 1977; Chapter 149 of the Private Acts of 1981; Chapter 4 of the Private Acts of 1985; Chapter 155 of the Private Acts of 1998; Chapter 160 of the Private Acts of 2002; Chapter 59 of the Private Acts of 2012; Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2012 and Chapter 47 of the Private Acts of 2014; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the Rutherford County Highway Commission. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-03-03 - Last action: 2026-05-01, Pr. Ch. 52 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Rutherford County - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (141 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Rutherford County replaces highway leadership rules: benefit, low. The law replaces Rutherford County’s 1951 highway law and amendments with a seven-member elected Highway Commission and elected Highway Superintendent. Local effect requires approval by two-thirds of the county legislative body; existing elected officials keep their terms. Commission members serve… - Rutherford highway purchases face bidding rules: benefit, low. Rutherford highway purchases estimated above $50,000 require public advertising, competitive bidding, and Highway Commission approval of contracts. Non-emergency purchases up to $50,000 can skip formal bidding but must follow county purchasing-agent quotation rules. For purchases over $20,000 throu… - Rutherford highway jobs face family safeguards: benefit, low. The Highway Department cannot hire, promote, supervise, or pay employees in ways that create prohibited direct family supervision. The restriction covers an employee’s spouse, parent, child, or sibling who is a Highway Commissioner, County Mayor, or Superintendent. Family ties include blood, marria… - Rutherford County must defend highway law: cost, low. Rutherford County must use authorized legal counsel to defend challenges to this act’s constitutionality or legality. The county pays related costs as provided by law; no dollar amount is stated. Invalidating one provision does not invalidate the rest of the act. Local effect requires approval by t… - Rutherford drainage work requires county approval: mixed, low. The Superintendent can enter, build, and maintain public drainage easements, but only those on the county-approved official list. The list has been effective since January 2003 and must be updated each January. Adding or removing easements requires recommendations from the County Engineer and Super… - Rutherford highway officials get pay rules: mixed, low. The Superintendent receives the salary set under state law, paid in equal monthly installments from the county highway fund. Commissioners receive county legislative members’ regular-meeting pay for their first attended meeting each month, and committee-meeting pay for later meetings. County travel… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Mike Sparks (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bryan Terry (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-02 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 4/2/2026 | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-03-30 | House | FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/30/2026 | pass | 82 | 1 | | | 2026-03-26 | House | HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-24 | House | HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE | pass | 17 | 0 | | | 2026-03-16 | House | HOUSE PRIVATE ACTS COMMITTEE | pass | 11 | 0 | | ## Actions (21) - 2026-05-01: Pr. Ch. 52 - 2026-04-16: Signed by Governor. - 2026-04-07: Transmitted to Governor for his action. (House) - 2026-04-06: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2026-04-02: Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. (House) - 2026-04-02: Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Received from House, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. (House) - 2026-03-30: Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10 (House) - 2026-03-26: H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026 (House) - 2026-03-25: Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026 (House) - 2026-03-24: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee (House) - 2026-03-18: Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026 (House) - 2026-03-16: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2026-03-16: Rec. for pass; ref to State & Local Government Committee (House) - 2026-03-11: Placed on cal. Private Acts Committee for 3/16/2026 (House) - 2026-03-09: P2C, ref. to Private Acts Committee - State & Local Government Committee (House) - 2026-03-05: Intro., P1C. (House) - 2026-03-03: Filed for introduction (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/priv/pr0052.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB2653.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 2666: AN ACT to amend Chapter 131 of the Private Acts of 1969; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 1987; Chapter 74 of the Private Acts of 1995; Chapter… (signed) - HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 2004; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative t… (signed) - HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter 335 of the Private Acts of 1968; Chapter 282 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapte… (signed) - HB 2631: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026,… (failed) - HB 2649: 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… (signed) - HB 2533: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter 21; Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 1; Title 49, Chapte… (signed) ## Sources - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/priv/pr0052.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB2653.pdf) ## Related - [HB 2666: AN ACT to amend Chapter 131 of the Private Acts of 1969; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2666-2025-2026) - [HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 8…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2670-2025-2026) - [HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2656-2025-2026) - [HB 2631: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2631-2025-2026) - [HB 2649: AN ACT to amend Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1991; as amended by Chapter 1…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2649-2025-2026) - [HB 2533: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2533-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2653-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).