[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6407473,"mediaKeyId","2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b","parentId",2412428,"title","Committee advances bill to raise county mineral severance tax caps to fund roads","audioSeconds",140,"startMs",2117000,"endMs",2257000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b&start=2117&end=2257","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b/thumbnail_2117000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6407473/Committee-advances-bill-to-raise-county-mineral-severance-tax-caps-to-fund-roads","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6407473-87a546bb1622657e4402d515b8146b83/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121933&Signature=kWZ1e~B0BH26qZU~nFywKeJoSIVtQ86zT9J6qOj3P9BP4K5HOPb8nTmVjmGTsqex0Ndx~hdy8NaT~DMjcJrqKeuRif4q3WYuoE6zvXI~qyaYbln~CeNXV86XeY-pFCzpZlkqcdGypD62W-mPOF~omP5VGR4CyuMMm1SQHiIEL1~ySS4kt2SM6cnI~o5HbfA8YmkKwZbbt2SakAEgty5yS7xmdH1kpe5HK2m0Rofpxyogw0gacqNI7~oc63ayK~o80IrkLtLMq2YSyYHO6BfWSDC8PfTkk6qMLL8vCkeEK8PPfnv3ydVGr4hLip63HZp8Bw5~Q~2TvbVRt4WUPmcHCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","article","Chairman Baum presented House Bill 695 to the State and Local Government Committee as a targeted change to Tennessee Code allowing counties to increase the maximum mineral severance tax they may adopt for county roads. Sponsor remarks said Tennessee currently caps that local tax at $0.15 per ton for aggregate minerals (sand, gravel, sandstone, chert and limestone). The bill would raise the statutory maximum to $0.20 per ton initially and phase higher maximums (the sponsor said the cap would rise to $0.25 by a sponsor-stated date and later to $0.30 per ton as the bill’s phased language provides).

Baum said the bill was the result of an agreement among county highway officials, the Tennessee Road Builders Association and the aggregate industry. He emphasized that any county choosing to impose a higher severance tax would have to do so locally with a two‑thirds vote of the county legislative body.

Members asked no substantive questions during the sponsor's remarks and the committee voted to send HB 695 to Finance, Ways and Means. The clerk recorded the vote as 18 aye, 1 nay. Implementation would require county-level ordinances and the two-thirds adoption threshold the sponsor described.

The committee advanced the bill; counties considering adoption would need to follow local ordinance processes and the two‑thirds requirement noted in the bill.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","State & Local Government Committee\tFeb 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 695 would raise the maximum county mineral severance tax (currently 15¢ per ton) to phased higher caps to fund county road projects; counties would still need a two‑thirds local vote to adopt the tax increase. The committee moved the bill to Finance, Ways and Means.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6407479,"Committee advances bill to curb fraudulent electronic deed recordings; questions remain about interstate uniformity",361,1119000,1480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b&start=1119&end=1480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b/thumbnail_1119000.jpg","/articles/6407479/Committee-advances-bill-to-curb-fraudulent-electronic-deed-recordings-questions-remain-about-interstate-uniformity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6407479-93d2e6bb2194da94f0cca193c4b6da01/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121933&Signature=cz1cK8kSmxUolv2tiPuipk4Ii-XQySrUt3ElY3xKu-YA0XFv6~D2PY6TfIkKDLYe9Dlzpa7SSAVFHGnLp6a9pShVwzPDQ6P~byBMubIzvqSJDQHIIRIH0LcratP~5dbeCKfd7Ikmz3M7oLammDOaKVTNw3zt11RCen9jlpflA33cX-EpH4IeM4BvzX-HWeb8CkTvJC9NlEtzi9EYERzq1Q5mnRoqW~mLFMWj8xNcAUZGZbBLJ5iLkIToSCX2Ixfw7IFXQW7liAOhPdS7ILvZKwdYyHU1lO20kLj4dGSU1S6uiNViTq9SEr2H7cdU1-nRVNhNWE~Z4fLCm4IiI52V~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1039, sponsored by Whip Garrett and brought to the committee at the request of a Sumner County register of deeds, advances to Calendar and Rules after committee consideration. The sponsor said the bill responds to a rise in fraudulent electronic filings of deeds and lien releases in local registers of deeds offices.

Garrett told the committee the bill would authorize a register of deeds to recognize certain electronic-vendor providers so that offices can reject electronic submissions that do not come through an approved vendor. The sponsor said the measure also makes the vendor who submitted a fraudulent electronic recording financially responsible for a property owner’s attorney fees and costs if the owner must litigate to defend title.

Representative Leatherwood asked whether the bill applies only to electronic filings and not to paper recordings; Garrett confirmed the bill targets electronic recordings only, where the majority of recent fraud has occurred. Leatherwood also asked whether other jurisdictions using the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act have similar vendor restrictions; Garrett said he could not speak to the specific language used in other states and described the measure as a first step to allow registers of deeds to better identify and reject fraudulent electronic filings.

Representative Pyle described the problem as 'significant' and warned that fraudulent filings can divest an owner’s title without their knowledge and that reclaiming title is expensive and lengthy. Garrett and other members characterized the bill as an early step to tamp down fraud and noted additional measures may follow.

Transcript note: The committee opened the vote and the sponsor thanked the committee; the supplied transcript records that the bill was sent to Calendar and Rules but does not include the announced roll-call totals. The clerk’s final tally for this item is not specified in the provided excerpt.","House Bill 1039 would allow registers of deeds to limit which vendors may submit electronic recordings and make vendors potentially responsible for attorney fees when fraudulent recordings require title defense. The committee advanced the bill to calendar and rules; the transcript does not include a final roll-call tally.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6407483,"Committee advances Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act aiming to narrow eminent‑domain takings",399,1661000,2060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b&start=1661&end=2060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b/thumbnail_1661000.jpg","/articles/6407483/Committee-advances-Tennessee-Property-Rights-Protection-Act-aiming-to-narrow-eminentdomain-takings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6407483-5d5a0e3572b448344b1556517c9afc38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121933&Signature=aTmtrnaRzaaHeCqtW8Mr887fo-lGrXIUwwYocP3nPrkWpgofJF9YgFMB1wbqe~ZmZuTyTK2ZLIw0kVINAPv8MybvEGxV4QpDKJJGtB1g80teaN5aPsxc-eXtKvuLc1gA7G-mW8THXiotAB68oo8JCVzlLP2IV3bim0eFe28whE~nvbbOD1pbYrfDvCP57T6ta-9eM8EWd8TgEpUeTZ3LUCsimSzZhYfeKDe5QuVcHqcciSnrQWH-NqxF5LQ~1T4mRsJ2GPABmpqduaK8V5JGUpemE7DyylVG3-gmZA6nOQ5vMSwoNIsVZ3nOVKzM~ZYUIlXEgDI8DRfAZMNqlgdDLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 444, titled the Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act and sponsored by Chairman Halsey, was advanced by the State and Local Government Committee to Finance, Ways and Means on October 24. The sponsor said the bill would change existing law so that housing authorities and community development agencies may acquire only specific parcels determined to be blighted rather than using a broad 'blighted area' concept that can lead to taking adjoining nonblighted properties.

The sponsor said the bill preserves a housing authority’s ability to pursue negotiated purchases, to pay above-market value and to use eminent domain for a specific property that is demonstrably blighted. It does not remove the ability to take property for public uses such as roads or police stations, the sponsor said.

Why it matters: Under current statutory language, sponsors said a housing authority could condemn a whole tract if a portion were found blighted; the bill would limit that reach to prevent nonblighted owners from being included by area-based takings. Representative Powell and other members asked for stronger protections around notice and the time owners would have to cure code violations before a housing authority could initiate a taking.

Representative Powell asked the sponsor to explain what protections are in place to prevent overzealous code enforcement from resulting in loss of property by owners who may be absent or unable to remedy violations quickly. Chairman Halsey responded that the bill requires two notices and a reasonable cure period and also allows an owner to petition the court for due-process review before a taking proceeds. The bill text as discussed did not define 'reasonable time' and members expressly asked that aspect be clarified in further committee work.

Representative Butler commented from personal experience with a prior eminent-domain exercise, praising the measure’s effort to protect property rights. After discussion, the committee voted to send HB 444 to Finance, Ways and Means. The clerk recorded the committee vote as 19 aye, 2 nay.

The measure will now be reviewed by Finance, Ways and Means where fiscal and implementation questions and any statutory technical fixes (including a definition of reasonable notice/cure period) can be addressed.","The committee approved House Bill 444, which changes language from 'blighted areas' to 'blighted property' and restricts taking nonblighted neighboring parcels; members pressed for clearer notice and due‑process language.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6407487,"State and Local Government Committee advances multiple bills; votes at a glance",181,778000,959000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b&start=778&end=959","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2412428-4417cc6a8daf3f17816b3565f40e8c8b/thumbnail_778000.jpg","/articles/6407487/State-and-Local-Government-Committee-advances-multiple-bills-votes-at-a-glance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6407487-a053bf70aa391383bc89e8489d9759de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771121933&Signature=mr83K2iK-nIujQx0GhMfJEPlOgceLniwb1LgPLtLecdqMw6NfjbkmQ~BNK2whDQm1A0TKj55i1MdLgxTqb7GtYWuzWdjccxuiHAec6Piknfxq9WuP5nUAToBVGyStLTvxjung0FfJLVfwi4n6CK6vKKYCYRIW7YAdWZJwCO23L2UhoHAhfbP6VZCW-P68xQUTyr8i1---FsIUjW28ug2PqJ6IvQAO1NNgiqfjRJ0JYcirXTz63m4nXNgEv2NcPWS2aYHL7zGDUY49ZozCsIGdtLZfCK31ooMMdxC6Cn~VSfXGwXSPbIfKFBo7RecMYfAMY~w2UF1wXpEdr7dGSErkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee House State and Local Government Committee met with a quorum and advanced several bills to later committees, including measures on stadium alcohol sales, electronic deed recording, cooperative purchasing, eminent-domain changes and county mineral severance tax increases.

The committee worked through a roughly 10‑item calendar and moved multiple bills on for further consideration: House Bill 823 (allow alcohol sales at new baseball venues, amended for public-safety monitoring), HB 1337 (temporary extension to raffle-license deadlines for nonprofits), HB 1039 (electronic recording and deed-fraud protections), HB 546 (clarifies cooperative purchasing for construction materials), HB 444 (Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act limiting eminent domain in redevelopment), HB 695 (raises county mineral severance tax caps for road funding) and HB 824 (extends event-marketing fee for Nashville). Several bills drew extended sponsor remarks or member questions; others passed with little discussion.

Votes at a glance (committee action and available vote tallies):
- House Bill 823 (Lafferty): Amendment placed; bill moved to Finance, Ways and Means. Clerk announced: 19 aye, 0 no, 2 present not voting.
- House Bill 1337 (Whip Garrett): Moved to Finance, Ways and Means. Clerk announced: 21 aye, 0 nay.
- House Bill 1039 (Whip Garrett): Passed out of committee and sent to Calendar and Rules (vote opened); final roll-call tally not specified in the transcript.
- House Bill 546 (Leader Cochran): Clarifies when local governments may purchase construction materials off cooperative contracts; moved to Calendar and Rules. Clerk announced: 18 aye, 1 nay.
- House Bill 444 (Chairman Halsey): Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act (changes “blighted areas” language to “blighted property” and alters eminent-domain scope); moved to Finance, Ways and Means. Clerk announced: 19 aye, 2 nay.
- House Bill 695 (Chairman Baum): Raises the statutory maximum mineral severance tax a county may adopt from $0.15 per ton to phased increases (to $0.20, then $0.25, then $0.30 by dates stated in the bill); county adoption requires a two‑thirds local vote. Moved to Finance, Ways and Means. Clerk announced: 18 aye, 1 nay.
- House Bill 824 (Representative Freeman): Extends the event-marketing fee that funds Nashville visitor events; moved to Finance, Ways and Means. Clerk announced: 17 aye, 3 nay, 1 present not voting.

Why it matters: The committee’s actions advance bills that would affect county finances, local procurement practices, property‑owner protections in eminent domain proceedings, and procedural safeguards for electronic recording of property documents. Several measures will now be considered by Finance, Ways and Means or Calendar and Rules, where fiscal or further procedural review will occur.

Among items discussed in detail were proposals to address fraudulent electronic deed filings and a proposed change to eminent-domain law that sponsors said would limit takings of nonblighted neighboring properties. Members asked for clarifications about notice and due-process safeguards before property could be taken and about how a county would implement a higher severance-tax cap. Other bills passed with minimal debate and will advance to the next committees listed above.

The committee recessed and completed its remaining agenda; items not reached were rolled to next week’s calendar.","The Tennessee House State and Local Government Committee met with a quorum and advanced multiple bills on October 24, moving measures to finance/ways-and-means and calendar and rules. Several items drew discussion on property rights, electronic deed fraud and county road funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill to raise county mineral severance tax caps to fund roads

Committee advances bill to curb fraudulent electronic deed recordings; questions remain about interstate uniformity

Committee advances Tennessee Property Rights Protection Act aiming to narrow eminent‑domain takings

State and Local Government Committee advances multiple bills; votes at a glance