Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee SB520: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11, relative to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority.
Status: Chaptered, May 18, 2026
Fiscal Summary STATE GOVERNMENTREVENUEWTRBA County Reserve FundFY25-26 & Subsequent Years$90,000 EXPENDITURESGeneral FundWTRBA County Reserve FundFY25-26$312,900$90,000FY26-27 & Subsequent Years$206,900$90,000Total Positions Required: 2 LOCAL GOVERNMENTEXPENDITURESPermissive FY25-26 & Subsequent Years$90,000 Bill Summary Present law establishes the West Tennessee River basin authority to preserve the natural flow and function of the Hatchie, Loosahatchie, Obion, and Forked Deer River basins. This bill replaces references to specific river basins with general reference to the authority's service area. Under present law, the authority's service area is Lauderdale, Lake, Dyer, Obion, Madison, Weakley, Henry, Gibson, Carroll, Benton, Decatur, Hardin, Haywood, Crockett, Henderson, Chester, McNairy, Tipton, Fayette, and Hardeman counties. This bill adds Perry, Stewart, Houston, and Humphreys counties to the authority's service area; provided, that when conducting activities in Perry, Stewart, Houston, or Humphreys county, the authority shall only provide technical assistance, engineering services, and project management support to such county. Present law concerning the West Tennessee River basin authority only applies to counties that elect to participate upon approval by a majority vote of the respective county legislative bodies. The requirement for election to participate in the authority will apply to Perry, Stewart, Houston, and Humphreys counties. Present law tasks the authority with generally providing regional and local leadership for the conservation and sustainable utilization of these river basins and the creek and river basins that flow through the counties of Benton, Decatur and Hardin into the Tennessee River. This bill instead tasks the authority with generally providing regional and local leadership fo
What the bill says
An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11, relative to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11, relative to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority. SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-1-1101(b), is amended by deleting "Hatchie, Loosahatchie, Obion and Forked Deer River basins" and substituting "river basins in the authority service area". SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-1-1101(b)(4), is amended by deleting "and the creek and river basins that flow through the counties of Benton, Decatur and Hardin into the Tennessee River" and substituting "through education, outreach, and science". SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-1-1101, is amended by deleting subsection (c) and substituting: (c) (1) These activities are accomplished in the authority service area that is composed of Lauderdale, Lake, Dyer, Obion, Madison, Weakley, Henry, Gibson, Carroll, Benton, Decatur, Hardin, Haywood, Crockett, Henderson, Chester, McNairy, Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Perry, Stewart, Houston, and Humphreys counties. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1), when conducting activities in Perry, Stewart, Houston, or Humphreys county, the authority shall only provide technical assistance, engineering services, and project management support to such county. SB0520 SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-1-1103, is amended by deleting "Hatchie, Obion and Forked Deer River basins" in subdivisions (7) and (8) and substituting "authority service area". SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 64-1-1103, is amended by deleting subdivision (16) and substituting: (16) Obtain funds …
Sponsors
- Roberts, Kerry (R, 23) · primary sponsor
- Stevens, Robert (R, 13)
Latest actions
- : Effective date(s) 05/13/2026
- : Pub. Ch. 966
- : Signed by Governor.
- : Transmitted to Governor for action.
- : Signed by H. Speaker
- : Enrolled and ready for signatures
- : Signed by Senate Speaker
- : Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0
- : Subst. for comp. HB.
- : Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
Votes
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt (April 20, 2026): 32 yea, 0 nay, passed
- FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION (April 20, 2026): 96 yea, 0 nay, passed
- SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee (April 15, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (April 14, 2026): 12 yea, 0 nay, passed
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee (April 14, 2026): 26 yea, 0 nay, passed
- SENATE ENERGY, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (March 26, 2025): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Archives, Publications, My Bills
Common questions
- What is SB520?
- SB520 is a bill in the Tennessee Legislature (114th General Assembly): AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11, relative to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority.
- What does SB520 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 64, Chapter 1, Part 11, relative to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority.
- What is the status of SB520?
- Chaptered as of May 18, 2026. Latest action: Effective date(s) 05/13/2026 (May 18, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB520?
- Roberts, Kerry (R, 23), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB520?
- On the Tennessee Legislature website: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB0520&GA=114
Source: official Tennessee record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.