SB 1165
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 12, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Christine Drescher | Email: christine.drescher@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 1165
SUMMARY OF BILL: Requires each county election commission to include on the
November 2026 election ballot the public policy opinion poll question of whether Tennessee should
legalize the sale, possession, and use of medical marijuana. Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to
compile and share the results with each member of the Tennessee General Assembly.
FISCAL IMPACT:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURES Mandatory
FY26-27 $9,400
Article II, Section 24 of the Tennessee Constitution provides that: no law of general application shall impose increased expenditure
requirements on cities or counties unless the General Assembly shall provide that the state share in the cost.
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-5-211(b), at least five days before the beginning of early
voting, the county election commission must either publish a sample ballot in a newspaper
of general circulation or mail the sample ballot to every active registered voter.
• The requirement to add this public policy opinion poll to the 2026 election ballot will
increase the size of the sample ballot to be published and subsequently increase printing
costs.
• Based on information previously provided by the SOS, the total statewide mandatory
increase in local government expenditures will be $9,400 in FY26-27.
• The SOS will be able to compile and transmit the poll results utilizing existing personnel
and resources, without a significant increase in state expenditures.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director