Committee approves private act to expand Crossville corporate boundaries

The Private Acts Committee voted to pass House Bill 14 37, a private act to amend the City of Crossville charter to expand the city's corporate boundaries, moving the measure to the State and Local Government Committee.

The bill, introduced by Chairman Crawford, calls for changes to Crossville's charter that would expand the city's corporate boundaries beyond existing residential lines. "This is a private act for, the city of Crossville. And basically, what it's doing is changing in the charter and putting new boundaries in, which is expanding for the, corporate boundaries, not just the residential. So that's all the bill does," Chairman Crawford said.

The committee discussed several provisions in the draft private act, including voter eligibility language and a city court judgeship provision. The bill text states that "in any election under this act, all registered voters otherwise legally qualified to vote in county and state elections held in Cumberland County, Tennessee, and who are bona fide residents of the city, and who have been such for 3 months preceding the election under this act ... will be entitled to vote." Representative Pearson asked whether that three-month residency requirement would bar people who moved into the city fewer than three months before an election from voting in municipal contests; Chairman Crawford and staff confirmed the charter language as written requires a three-month residency before voting in city elections.

Members also asked the committee's legal advisor about whether a locality could lawfully impose that residency requirement. Mark Dobie of the Office of Legal Services said it "would largely depend" and that courts assess whether local restrictions are "reasonable," noting that voting is a fundamental right and that there is limited latitude for localities. "There's some ties, as long as it isn't unreasonable and it does sort of tie in with the right to travel," Dobie said.

Committee members raised a separate drafting question about the bill's city court provision, which uses masculine pronouns in describing the city judge and the appointment process. The provision reads that the city council shall elect or appoint a city judge by majority vote for a two-year term, and that the judge "shall have such qualifications and receive such compensation as the council may provide by ordinance resolution." Dobie said courts typically read older masculine language inclusively.

The clerk recorded the committee vote as nine ayes and one no. "Mister chairman, you have 9 ayes and 1 no," the clerk said. The committee chair declared House Bill 14 37 passed and referred the measure to the State and Local Government Committee.

The bill record shows a local resolution from the City of Crossville accompanying the private act; committee members noted that local approval processes and the specific charter text will govern implementation going forward.

House Bill 14 37 now proceeds to the State and Local Government Committee for further consideration.