State and Local Government Committee advances three local bills, rejects permit-fee increase

The State and Local Government Committee met in April 2025 and moved three local measures to the calendar and rules while rejecting a bill to recalculate building‑permit fees for Union County.

House Bill 14-30, a proposal to change Union County’s building‑permit rate from a flat fee to 50 cents per square foot, failed in committee after discussion over whether the change constituted a tax increase. Chairman Powers, the bill’s sponsor, described the proposal as a local fee change: “Simply recalculates the rate of building permits from a flat fee to 50¢ per square foot for both residential and commercial. The last time they increased the permitting fee was in 02/2005.” Representative Warner asked whether the change would be considered a tax increase; Powers responded, “No. I I think taxes have to be, usually had to go vote on by the general public and put on the, put on on the ballot. This is a fee increase though for permitting fees.” Representative Warner moved to send the measure to summer study; that motion failed. The transcript records the committee later announcing that the bill “fails.” The committee did not record a final roll-call tally for that measure in the transcript provided.

The committee amended and advanced House Bill 14-23, a local measure involving Lauderdale County court administration. Sponsor Chairman Hirt told the committee that the bill “provides for the orderly transfer of the probate and juvenile court in Lauderdale County from the county courthouse to Justice Complex.” He explained further that, “upon expiration of the full term of the judge presiding over the probate and juvenile court in Lauderdale County, the probate and juvenile court of Lauderdale County shall be dissolved immediately and its jurisdiction and duties transferred as follows,” naming transfers of probate matters and clerk duties to the chancery court and juvenile matters and related clerk duties to the general sessions court clerk. Hirt also said the bill “allows the county commission to transfer the clerk related duties at any time after approval and certification of this act.” The committee placed amendment 7419 onto the bill by voice vote and later reported the amended bill to calendar and rules; the clerk announced the vote as 16 ayes, 0 nays.

Two private‑act charters cleared committee. House Bill 14-39, described by its sponsor as a private act repealing and replacing the charter for Ridgetide, Tennessee (a bedroom community in Hamilton County), advanced to calendar and rules; the clerk announced the vote as 17 ayes, 0 nays. House Bill 14-37, a private act requested by the city of Crossville to make minor changes to corporate boundaries and other charter provisions, was also recommended to calendar and rules; the clerk announced the vote as 16 ayes, 0 nays. Chairman Crawford noted he had “a resolution from the City of Crossville” on that bill.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 14-23 (Chairman Hirt): Amended with amendment 7419 and advanced to calendar and rules; vote announced in transcript as 16 ayes, 0 nays. Key effect described by sponsor: transfer of Lauderdale County probate and juvenile court matters and certain clerk duties to chancery and general sessions courts upon expiration of the sitting judge’s full term; county commission may transfer clerk duties after certification.

- House Bill 14-30 (Chairman Powers): Proposal to set building‑permit fee at $0.50 per square foot for Union County; failed in committee. Sponsor said the last permit fee increase was in February 2005. The transcript records that Representative Warner moved to send the bill to summer study (motion failed) and that, after further procedure, the chair announced, “your bill fails.” The transcript does not include a final roll‑call tally for the bill.

- House Bill 14-39 (Chairman Helton Hayes): Private‑act charter for Ridgetide, Tennessee; advanced to calendar and rules. The clerk announced the vote as 17 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Bill 14-37 (Chairman Crawford): Private act from the City of Crossville making minor charter and boundary changes; advanced to calendar and rules. The clerk announced the vote as 16 ayes, 0 nays.

The committee opened and closed its calendar with four bills and an addendum, conducted roll call at the start, and concluded the meeting with brief remarks of appreciation from members and the chair. No additional formal directions to staff or implementation timelines for the advanced bills were recorded in the provided transcript.