Tennessee 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB1197 Draft / Bill

Filed 02/06/2025

                     
HOUSE BILL 808 
 By Grills 
 
SENATE BILL 1197 
By Jackson 
 
 
SB1197 
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, 
Chapter 24, relative to compensation of county 
officials. 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: 
 SECTION 1.  Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-24-102(d), is amended by 
designating the existing language as subdivision (d)(1) and adding the following as a new 
subdivision (d)(2): 
 (2) 
(A)  If the department of economic and community development 
determines that during the previous fiscal year a county experienced substantial 
characteristics of economic distress, then that county may, by resolution of the 
county legislative body, forgo the increase in compensation provided in 
subdivision (d)(1). 
(B)  The minimum compensation for county officials in a county that 
chose not to increase the minimum compensation under subdivision (d)(2)(A) is 
increased to the level it would have been if not for the resolution when: 
(i)  The department of economic and community development 
determines that the county is no longer experiencing substantial 
characteristics of economic distress; or 
(ii)  County officials take office following the next county election 
after the resolution was adopted. 
(C)  The department of economic and community development shall 
make the determination of each county's level of economic distress no later than   
 
 
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July 1 of each year based upon unemployment, per capita income, and poverty 
levels of all Tennessee counties using statistical data prepared by any agency of 
the state or federal government. 
(D)  As used in this subdivision (d)(2), "substantial characteristics of 
economic distress" includes, but is not limited to, major loss of employment, 
recent high unemployment rates, traditionally low levels of family incomes, high 
levels of poverty, and high concentrations of employment in declining industries. 
 SECTION 2.  For purposes of determining which counties are experiencing economic 
distress, this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.  For all other 
purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.