Bill > SB2199

This bill, known as the "Regulatory Freedom Act of 2026," aims to modify how state agencies in Tennessee create and manage administrative rules, which are regulations issued by government bodies. Key provisions include requiring agencies to prominently publish new or changed rules on their websites and to make a good-faith effort to notify relevant trade associations or organizations at least 45 days before a public hearing on such rules, requesting their input for a "fiscal impact statement." A fiscal impact statement is defined as an estimate of the actual cost of complying with a rule for the regulated community, excluding speculative costs, and must be generated for rules expected to have a negative financial effect. Agencies must also demonstrate they have gathered feedback from affected industries and businesses, and they cannot split rules to avoid monetary caps on fiscal impact. If a rule's fiscal impact exceeds certain thresholds ($750,000 or $1,000,000 over five years, or $750,000 or $1,000,000 for emergency rules in one year), it may require further review by the fiscal review committee or approval by both houses of the General Assembly. The bill also introduces procedures for repealing existing rules and sets specific expiration timelines and legislative approval requirements for emergency rules, especially those with significant fiscal impacts. Finally, agencies will be required to compile annual reports detailing the cumulative fiscal impact of all rules they have implemented.

Government Affairs

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/Default?BillNumber=SB2199&ga=114