---
type: "Bill"
title: "Civil Procedure - As enacted, establishes process for three-judge panel hearing civil actions in which the complaint: challenges the constitutionality of a statute, executive order, or rule; includes a claim for declaratory judgment or injunctive relief; and is brought against the state, a state department or agency, or a state official acting in their official capacity. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 16; Title 17; Title 20; Title 27 and Title 29."
description: "Civil Procedure - As enacted, establishes process for three-judge panel hearing civil actions in which the complaint: challenges the constitutionality of a statute, executive order, or rule; includes a claim for declaratory judgment or injunctive relief; and is brought against the state, a state department or agency, or a state official acting in their official capacity. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 16; Title 17; Title 20; Title 27 and Title 29."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "112"
identifier: "SB 868"
citation: "Tennessee SB 868 (112)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Civil Procedure"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bell", "Farmer"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 70
vote_count: 14
first_action: "2021-02-10"
last_action: "2021-06-02"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/fadc65e8-a9e8-435b-9a0b-5d396927a8b0"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0868&GA=112"
source_hash: "0d91bc3a95fd63cd4230c667c3b3a26d4d8074e040e72abf7f539f6b92bc3aba"
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 868 (112) — Civil Procedure - As enacted, establishes process for three-judge panel hearing civil actions in which the complaint: challenges the constitutionality of a statute, executive order, or rule; includes a claim for declaratory judgment or injunctive relief; and is brought against the state, a state department or agency, or a state official acting in their official capacity. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 16; Title 17; Title 20; Title 27 and Title 29.

## Version chain

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

1. **Amendment HA0384** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/HA0384.pdf)
2. **Amendment HA0455** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/HA0455.pdf)
3. **Amendment SA0389** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/SA0389.pdf)
4. **Amendment SA0451** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/SA0451.pdf)
5. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/SB0868.pdf)

## Votes

- HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee 4/13/2021 (9) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 5/5/2021 Passed (1) — **27–2** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 5/5/2021 Passed (3) — **68–23** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: PREVIOUS QUESTION MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 5/5/2021 Passed (2) — **65–24** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 5/5/2021 Passed (1) — **67–22** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 5/3/2021 (6) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 5/3/2021 (7) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0 4/20/2021 Passed — **7–2** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 5/5/2021 Passed (4) — **69–23** (pass) · lower
- SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 2 PNV 0 5/4/2021 Passed — **9–2** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/4/2021 5/3/2021 (5) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/21/2021 — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 5/5/2021 Passed — **27–6** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 5/3/2021 (8) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bell — primary (person)
- Farmer — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2021-02-10** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-02-10** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-02-11** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-02-11** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2021-02-22** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2021-02-22** P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- **2021-03-30** Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-30** Ref. to Civil Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-31** Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 4/6/2021
- **2021-04-06** Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 4/13/2021
- **2021-04-07** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/13/2021
- **2021-04-07** Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 4/13/2021
- **2021-04-13** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/14/2021
- **2021-04-13** Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-14** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/20/2021
- **2021-04-14** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/20/2021
- **2021-04-14** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/14/2021
- **2021-04-14** Placed on cal. Civil Justice Committee for 4/21/2021
- **2021-04-20** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0
- **2021-04-21** Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-21** Rec. for pass if am.; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-04-22** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/27/2021
- **2021-04-22** Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in S. FW&M Comm. 4/27/21
- **2021-04-26** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/27/2021
- **2021-04-27** Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/28/2021
- **2021-04-27** Placed behind the budget
- **2021-04-28** Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 5/3/2021
- **2021-04-28** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/28/2021
- **2021-04-28** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-04-28** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-04-29** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-03** Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-03** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-03** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-03** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-03** Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-04** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 5/5/2021
- **2021-05-04** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar 2 for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-04** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 2 PNV 0
- **2021-05-04** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-05** Companion House Bill substituted
- **2021-05-05** Conference Committee report adopted, ayes 27, nays 2
- **2021-05-05** Conf. comm. report (CCR 8) adopted, Ayes 67, Nays 22, PNV 1
- **2021-05-05** Conference Committee appointed. (Kelsey, Johnson, Bell, Kyle, Stevens)
- **2021-05-05** Conf. comm. appointed. Reps. Farmer, Garrett, Curcio, and Jernigan
- **2021-05-05** H. refused to recede from its non-concurrence SA2
- **2021-05-05** Senate refused to recede from amendment #2
- **2021-05-05** H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 2
- **2021-05-05** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6 `passage`
- **2021-05-05** Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0389)
- **2021-05-05** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0451)
- **2021-05-05** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
- **2021-05-05** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-05-05** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
- **2021-05-05** Passed H., as am., Ayes 68, Nays 23, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2021-05-05** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-05** H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0455) `amendment-passage`
- **2021-05-05** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0384) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2021-05-06** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-07** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
- **2021-05-11** Signed by H. Speaker
- **2021-05-13** Signed by Senate Speaker
- **2021-05-14** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2021-05-26** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2021-06-02** Comp. became Pub. Ch. 566
- **2021-06-02** Effective date(s) 07/01/2021
- **2021-06-02** Pub. Ch. 566

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/fadc65e8-a9e8-435b-9a0b-5d396927a8b0`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).