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Senate approves bill allowing attorney general to challenge local-government actions and seek withholding of state funds
Summary
The Senate approved a bill that authorizes the attorney general to review local-government actions alleged to violate state law or the Tennessee Constitution and, if violations are found and not corrected, to seek court orders to withhold state-allocated funds from the local government.
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Senate passed legislation creating a formal review mechanism for local-government actions that the attorney general determines may violate state law or the state constitution.
Senator Briggs, describing the amendment that “rewrites the bill,” said the measure creates a process requiring the attorney general to notify a local government of a determination and allow the local government 60 days to appear, appeal, or correct the alleged violation. If the local government fails to respond or remedy the matter, the bill authorizes the attorney general to seek a special action before a three-judge panel asking for declaratory relief. If the three-judge panel finds a violation, the panel can order the commissioner of finance and administration and the state treasurer to withhold state funds allocated to the local government, including statutory or contractually distributed funds.
Briggs said the change was intended to
