Bill > HB1176

This bill modifies Tennessee's annexation laws by changing the circumstances under which a referendum is not required for annexing new territory. Specifically, the bill establishes three conditions that must be met simultaneously for an annexation to proceed without a public referendum: first, two-thirds of the property owners within the proposed annexation area must provide written consent; second, the total land area owned by consenting property owners must represent more than half of the territory proposed for annexation; and third, the proposed annexation must involve nine or fewer individual parcels of land. By setting these specific criteria, the bill provides a streamlined path for smaller-scale annexations that have substantial property owner support, potentially making it easier for municipalities to expand their boundaries in certain limited scenarios without requiring a full public vote. The bill would take effect immediately upon becoming law, as stated in the legislation's final section.