---
type: "Bill"
title: "Open Meetings - As enacted, authorizes local governmental bodies to conduct certain community meetings via electronic means of communication. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8, Chapter 44."
description: "Open Meetings - As enacted, authorizes local governmental bodies to conduct certain community meetings via electronic means of communication. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8, Chapter 44."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "114"
identifier: "SB 1944"
citation: "Tennessee SB 1944 (114)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Open Meetings"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Briggs"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 18
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2026-01-21"
last_action: "2026-05-18"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/6eaf2fb6-2661-43ea-bb8f-020487883138"
source_url: "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1944&ga=114"
source_hash: "55a500f14d11193e857b1d4cb3b1bd40338d9fd8d03bb566aa310e71c5a2f49c"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee SB 1944 (114) — Open Meetings - As enacted, authorizes local governmental bodies to conduct certain community meetings via electronic means of communication. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8, Chapter 44.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB1944.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 3/2/2026 Passed (1) — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 2/17/2026 Passed (2) — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2026 Passed (1) — **66–16** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Briggs — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-21** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2026-01-22** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2026-02-02** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-10** Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/17/2026
- **2026-02-17** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2026-02-27** Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/2/2026
- **2026-03-02** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2026-03-02** Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2026-03-05** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2026-04-16** Passed H., Ayes 66, Nays 16, PNV 6 `passage`
- **2026-04-16** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2026-04-20** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2026-04-21** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2026-04-21** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2026-04-23** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2026-05-05** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2026-05-18** Effective date(s) 05/05/2026
- **2026-05-18** Pub. Ch. 895

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/6eaf2fb6-2661-43ea-bb8f-020487883138`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).