TML- Municipal Minute - Your Legislative Look Ahead

[Cross, Steve]

Please see below for the Municipal Minute. This is the summary of legislative actions this week that TML is tracking.

Steve

Steven E. Cross, MA, CFO
Fire Management Consultant | Program Manager
UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service

1610 University Avenue
Knoxville, Tennessee 37921

Steven...@tennessee.edu
(615) 532.7108 | (931) 981.3593 Cell

mtas.tennessee.edu

 

 

The Municipal Minute is your look ahead at the key legislative issues on our radar for next week. SB2028 (Lowe) / HB2017 (Cochran) Preempts Local Ordinances Related to Discharge of Firearms  Scheduled for House Floor on Monday    Legislation preempts local ordinances related to the unlawful discharge of firearms within incorporated limits. This bill declares that such ordinances are not applicable to anyone who is hunting, placing them solely under state law and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regulations. TML opposes this legislation.   SB1908  (Stevens) Automatic Compensation for Land Use Decisions  Scheduled for House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday    Legislation filed on behalf of the Home Builders Association establishes a blanket statutory finding of injury and entitlement to compensation whenever a property owner claims a land use regulation has reduced property value. It replaces the current case-by-case, fact-specific judicial process grounded in constitutional law, Supreme Court precedent, and state law. The bill expands vesting-related rights, creates liability for actions expressly authorized to local governments, applies retroactively to prior land use decisions, shifts the burden of proof to cities, and requires payment of attorneys’ fees and costs if the owner prevails.  TML opposes this legislation.  SB 1771 (Lowe) – Permits County to Repeal Extraterritorial Zoning and Planning  Scheduled for Senate State and Local Government Committee Tuesday.    This bill would allow a county commission, by simple majority vote, to block roughly 100 cities from exercising zoning, planning, and development authority in areas outside their limits but within their Urban Growth Boundaries(UGB). TML opposes this legislation.  Anticipate an amendment will be offered by Chairman Briggs to ensure equity for municipal taxpayers should properties located within the UGB of a county that votes to block these cities from continuing to exercise this authority subsequently seek to be annexed. If Briggs’ Amendment is adopted, TML will be neutral on the legislation.  HB2419 (Fritts)/SB 2311 (Hensley) – County approved annexation  Scheduled for Senate State and Local Government Committee Tuesday and House State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday    This bill would require county commission approval for a municipality to annex territory pursuant to property owners’ request or upon obtaining support of a majority of voters within the territory at referendum. TML opposes this legislation.   HB608 (Rudd)/SB 1045 (Reeves) – Dedications for Right-a-ways costs shift to Municipalities  Scheduled for Senate State and Local Government Committee Tuesday and House State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday    This bill, which seeks to address the costs of infrastructure associated with development (right of way dedications) that are borne by the developer, is unnecessary because Tennessee law already ensures substantial protections, risking confusion and shifting of costs to municipal taxpayers. TML opposes this legislation.