TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

General Assembly Adjourns, House/Senate Compromise to Create New 3-Judge Panel to Address Constitutional Matters

Posted by: Kate Prince on May 6, 2021

The Tennessee General Assembly last night adjourned for the year with a flurry of last-minute negotiations over proposed changes to the court system, the Tennessean reports. Lawmakers reached a compromise regarding HB1130/SB868, which sought to create a statewide chancery court. In the end, the conference committee crafted a measure that created a three-judge panel of trial court judges – two of whom are to be appointed by the Supreme Court and must hail from the other two grand divisions – to handle constitutional challenges and declaratory/injunctive claims against the state, a department/agency of the state, and/or one of its officers. The measure, which combined a number of elements of previously unsuccessful bills – including the venue for out-of-state plaintiffs to be held in Sumner County – passed the House 67-22-1 and the Senate 27-2 just minutes before adjournment. For more in depth information on this bill and several others, check out the latest episode of the TBA Legislative Update podcast. TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson hosts today's episode and interviews TBA Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley for a behind-the-scenes look at TBA’s lobbying efforts. Legislative Updates can be found on the TBA’s Facebook page, website and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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