With a vote of 72 ayes, 11 nays and 10 present-not-voting, the Tennessee House of Representatives today passed HB2319 which prohibits an employee of a local government from serving on the legislative body of the local government for which the employee works. The same bill, in the form of SB2591, has passed through the committee process in the state Senate and is currently on the calendar for a final vote on Monday.

Two amendments were passed and included on the House version of the bill, including one that moves the effective date until after this year’s election and another that allows any county employee that is serving on the county commission as of January 1, 2027 to remain in their commission seat.

One additional amendment is up for consideration when the Senate votes on their version next week, that amendment clarifies that employees of a local education agency are not county employees for the purposes of this bill.