TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on May 20, 2026

State officials will officially take the reins of metropolitan and regional airports across Tennessee this week. According to the Tennessean, by July, the boards running Tennessee's top four airports will be replaced with a majority of state-selected commissioners. During the legislative session, lawmakers argued they should have more oversight since the state contributes millions of dollars to airport operations. The bill passed on April 23, and automatically will become law on May 21, unless Gov. Bill Lee vetoes it. The law gives the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the speaker of the Senate two appointees each. Local officials have opposed the law. The Metro Nashville Council recently passed a resolution opposing the measure, and Chattanooga airport officials are considering legal action.