Tennessee House Bill HB2494

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Refer: 3/11/26
• Refer: 3/23/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-23-103; Title 16 and Title 67, relative to courts.

Impact

The bill introduces a structured pay schedule that ties the salaries of judges in various classes to that of circuit court judges, ensuring a minimum compensation standard across the board. This is expected to create more uniformity in judicial compensation and alleviate disparities caused by varying county policies. The bill allows for the possibility of counties to offer higher salaries via private acts, which maintains local flexibility while establishing state-mandated salary baselines.

Summary

House Bill 2494 amends sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the compensation of general sessions judges and juvenile court judges. Set to take effect on September 1, 2030, the bill restructures the salary framework for these judges based on the population classification of their respective counties. It narrows the classifications from seven to five based on federal census data, thereby establishing a distinct salary tier for general sessions and juvenile court judges in counties of varying sizes.

Contention

Key points of contention arise from the significant changes to how judges' salaries are determined and categorized, which may lead to disparities based on county classifications. Some legislators may argue that this too greatly centralizes judicial compensation and could displace current judicial practices. Additionally, the bill suggests a new tax on legal litigation fees that would directly fund these judicial salaries, raising questions about how this might affect access to justice, particularly in lower-income areas.