Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee SB1490: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 11; Title 12; Title 29 and Title 43, relative to local historical boards.
Status: Chaptered, May 27, 2026
Fiscal Summary OTHER FISCAL IMPACT To the extent that local historical boards receive payments from leasing land that is part of an historical site, an increase in local government revenue will occur. However, due to multiple unknown factors, a precise fiscal impact cannot be reasonably quantified. Bill Summary This bill authorizes local historical boards to contract with farmers to (i) farm crops on land that is part of a historical site if such land is comprised of five or more contiguous acres and (ii) harvest hay and other such naturally grown products of the soil on land that is part of a historical site if the land is comprised of fewer than five contiguous acres. All proceeds received by the boards must be used for the preservation of historic sites and structures managed by the boards. The Tennessee historical commission, with the assistance of the department of agriculture, must develop contracts for use by the boards when entering into such agreements. ANNUAL REPORT This bill requires the boards to submit an annual report no later than December 31 of each year to the Tennessee historical commission that includes detailed information about all contracts entered into under this bill for the calendar year and how the proceeds from the contracts were used. ON FEBRUARY 26, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1490, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes: Clarifies that a "local historical board" includes a non-profit entity that is established to oversee and promote the preservation of historic sites and structures within its jurisdiction, that receives assistance from the Tennessee historical commission to establish their own programs, and that operates under ordinances that provide an additional layer of protection and design review for designated historical proper
What the bill says
From the amended text:
House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No. 1 to HB1493 Crawford Signature of Sponsor AMEND S e n ate Bill No. 1490* House Bill No. 1493 by deleting subdivision (a)(3)(A) in Section 1 and substituting instead: (A) Means a governmental entity or nonprofit entity established by state and local law authorized to oversee and promote the preservation of historic sites and structures within its jurisdiction, that receives assistance from the Tennessee historical commission to establish its own program, and that operates under ordinances that provide an additional layer of protection and design review for designated historic properties or districts; and AND FURTHER AMEND by deleting subdivision (c)(1) in Section 1 and substituting instead: (1) All proceeds received by local historical boards under subsection (b) must be used for the preservation of historical sites and structures managed by such boards, in accordance with state guidelines and standards issued by the United States secretary of the interior, as applicable. AND FURTHER AMEND by deleting subsection (d) in Section 1 and substituting instead: (d) The Tennessee historical commission shall develop contracts for use by local historical boards when entering into agreements under this section, pursuant to the authority granted to the commission in § 4-11-103. HA1086