Tennessee Senate Bill SB1988

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 3-1-106, relative to the general assembly.

Impact

The changes proposed in SB1988 are designed to facilitate decision-making by allowing a smaller group of legislators to conduct business. The reduction of the quorum threshold has significant implications for how legislative actions are carried out and could potentially lead to an increase in the number of passed bills in situations where attendance might be low. However, such a change may also raise concerns about representing the broader interests of the constituents, given that a significantly fewer number of members can make binding legislative decisions.

Summary

Senate Bill 1988 aims to amend certain provisions within the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically targeted at Section 3-1-106. The bill seeks to revise the existing requirements regarding the number of members within the General Assembly that constitute a quorum for decision-making processes. By changing the quorum requirement from fifty members to twenty-five, the bill intends to streamline legislative operations and potentially enhance efficiency in the General Assembly's functioning.

Contention

Opponents of SB1988 may argue that lowering the quorum requirement could weaken the legislative debate and deliberation process. With fewer members necessary for a quorum, there is a risk that essential discussions on important issues may be sidelined or that the minority opinion could be inadequately represented. Advocates for this change, however, argue that it is a necessary adjustment to allow the legislature to function more effectively, particularly in special sessions or during times of crisis when attendance might be unpredictable.