# Tennessee SB 0229: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 3 and Title 67, relative to the bureau of ethics and campaign finance.

Tennessee SB 0229, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 3 and Title 67, relative to the bureau of ethics and campaign finance., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2025-05-15 (Effective date(s) 05/09/2025, 01/01/2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0229-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Tennessee SB 0229
- State: Tennessee
- Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 3 and Title 67, relative to the bureau of ethics and campaign finance.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-05-15, Effective date(s) 05/09/2025, 01/01/2026
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Campaigns and Campaign Finance
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 6 (219 yes, 46 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 9

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Candidates can fund more legal expenses: benefit, low. Candidates can use campaign money to defend civil lawsuits involving their nomination or election. Candidates and officeholders can also pay public relations, consulting, and legal expenses involving criminal matters concerning them. These expenses are not treated as personal use of campaign funds.
- Party-controlled committees gain contribution limit exemption: benefit, low. Campaign committees controlled by a political party or its state legislative caucus are exempt from specified contribution limits. A party connection alone does not qualify. Associated committees remain subject to those limits unless the party or caucus directly establishes, finances, maintains, or…
- State leaders receive annual ethics training: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the Tennessee Ethics Commission must provide annual training for department commissioners and the governor's cabinet-level staff. Training must be offered while the General Assembly is in session, with the ethics manual available to attendees. Commission staff coordinate…
- Campaign committees pay new annual fee: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, political campaign committees registered with Tennessee's Registry of Election Finance must pay $150 annually. Payment is due at registration and by January 31 each later year. Candidates for elective office are exempt. The fee helps cover regulatory costs.
- Campaign filers face stricter filing rules: cost, low. Campaign-finance statements covered by this law must be signed under penalty of perjury. Online filers must also acknowledge that penalty during filing. Local candidates whose elections cover multiple counties must file their political-treasurer certification with each county's election commission.
- Campaign investigations require records and cooperation: cost, low. The Registry of Election Finance can order investigations or audits when complaints are legally and factually sufficient and circumstances warrant. Accused people must provide required records and answer proper requests honestly and fully. The Registry can also proceed directly to a hearing requiri…
- Campaign committees face updated dollar thresholds: mixed, low. The law sets specified campaign-finance amounts at $5,000 for committees participating in statewide elections. It sets $3,000 for committees participating in other state or local elections. A separate campaign-finance threshold rises from $100 to $250, and its language adds an entity's commercial p…
- Candidates gain fundraising time, face gift limits: mixed, low. Successful state or local candidates with no reported loans or obligations can keep raising money for officeholder expenses. This ends when the reporting period after their successor's election closes, excluding the period containing that election. Candidates and elected officials can accept money…
- Ethics records open, with privacy protections: mixed, low. Sworn ethics complaint proceedings and records, including preliminary-investigation records, are generally open to the public. The accused person's personal or professional financial records remain private. Candidate complaint information stays private from 30 days before voting starts through elec…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Cosponsor: Paul Bailey (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-22 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025 | pass | 73 | 21 |   |
| 2025-04-22 | House | FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2025 | pass | 78 | 13 |   |
| 2025-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/22/2025 | pass | 23 | 6 |   |
| 2025-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2025 | pass | 28 | 3 |   |
| 2025-04-21 | Senate | SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE | pass | 9 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 1 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 2025-05-15: Effective date(s) 05/09/2025, 01/01/2026
- 2025-05-15: Pub. Ch. 415
- 2025-05-09: Signed by Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-05-01: Transmitted to Governor for action. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Signed by H. Speaker (House)
- 2025-04-29: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate)
- 2025-04-28: Enrolled and ready for signatures (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 78, Nays 13 PNV 0 (House)
- 2025-04-22: Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 23, Nays 6, PNV 1 (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Conf. comm. appointed ( T. Hicks, Atchley, Gant, Love) (House)
- 2025-04-22: Conference Committee appointed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Senate refused to recede from its non-concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: H. refused to recede from H. am. no. 1 (House)
- 2025-04-22: Senate refused to concur in amendment (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Placed on Senate Message Calendar 2 for 4/22/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Passed H., as am., Ayes 73, Nays 21, PNV 0 (House)
- 2025-04-22: H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0511) (House)
- 2025-04-22: Subst. for comp. HB. (House)
- 2025-04-22: Engrossed; ready for transmission to House (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 3 (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0450) (Senate)
- 2025-04-21: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-21: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 2 PNV 0 (Senate)
- 2025-04-17: Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/18/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Introduced, Passed on First Consideration (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Filed for introduction (Senate)

## Bill text

- HA0511, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0511.pdf)
- Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0415.pdf)
- Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB0229.pdf)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0229.pdf)
- SA0450: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0450.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0254: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 55, relative to criminal law. (signed)
- SB 0198: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes. (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 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 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)

## Sources
- [HA0511 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0511.pdf)
- [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0415.pdf)
- [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB0229.pdf)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0229.pdf)
- [SA0450 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0450.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0254: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Titl…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0254-2025-2026)
- [SB 0198: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0198-2025-2026)
- [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 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 2631: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2631-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0229-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).