Tennessee Legislative Materials

Step 1: Legislative Process in Tennessee

• How A Bill Becomes A Law - Tennessee. General Assembly. Legislative Information Services.
• Tennessee Government: How It Works - The League of Women Voters of Tennessee.
  Hodges stacks JK5231.T45 2002

Covers the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government and describes the functions and activities of state departments including a brief history of the State.

• Lobbying and the Tennessee General Assembly - The League of Women Voters of Tennessee.
  Hodges stacks JK2498.L62 1996

Gives an overview of the law-making process with guidance on how to influence legislation.

Step 2: Periodical Resources

Newspapers are key sources for current developments in the Tennessee Legislature. The Hodges library keeps copies of major Tennessee City newspapers in the Periodicals/Documents and Microforms room on the 1st Floor:

• Chattanooga Times AN48.C33C43
• Knoxville News-Sentinel AN48.K6K67
• Memphis Commercial Appeal AN48.M4M44
• Nashville Banner AN48.N4 3 N43
• Nashville Tennessean AN48.N4T5
• America's Newspapers (Tennessee Newspapers subset)

Provides access to the electronic editions of five Tennessee newspapers. Recent issues of Tennessee newspapers may also be online.

• Stateline.org

Reports on the latest news affecting state governments.

Access to periodicals indexed in online databases is provided from the Library’s Databases page. Select the database most relevant to your research topic. Some key state and local periodicals are listed below:

• Spectrum: the Journal of State Government.
  Print JK2403.S7 1926-2005

Also available online via Academic Search Premier, 2000-2005

• States News 2000

Monthly news magazine of the Council of State Governments.

• State Legislatures. National Conference of State Legislatures.
  Periodicals/DocMic & Stacks JK2403.S76 1994-
  Fulltext available in Academic Search Premier, 2000-

"The national magazine of state government and policy".

• State and Local Government Review.
  Periodicals/DocMic & Stacks JK2403.S684, 1994-

Journal of research and viewpoints on state, local and inter-governmental issues. Indexed in PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service).

• The Tennessee Journal. Weekly.
  Periodicals/DocMic & Stacks JK5201.T43, 1975-

Includes political roundup section and legislative news.

• Tennessee Town & City. Periodicals/DocMic.
  Current year only kept. JS39.T4

Bi-monthly paper of the Tennessee Municipal League covering state and local politics.

• Law Review Articles

Use Legal Periodicals and Books, Legal-Trac, or LexisNexis Academic (legal research section) from the databases page to search by topic. Law review journals are housed in the Law Library.

Step 3: Legislative Documents

• Bills - Current

The Tennessee General Assembly site provides bill summary, text, amendments, bill history, fiscal notes and status reports for the current session. Select “Legislation,” then search for bills or resolution by number or by keyword.

• If status information is not available from the above site, contact Legislative Information Services at (615) 741-3511 for current bill status or documents related to a particular bill.
• Contact the Chief Clerk of the House (615-741-2901) or the Chief Clerk of the Senate (615-741- 2730) for the existence of a current bill or documents on a given subject.
• Contact the Legislator or Committee Chair responsible for the bill (if within three years of its introduction) to request background information and copies of related publications.


• Bills - Historical

From the Tennessee General Assembly site, select "Legislation", then "Archive" for bills from the 99th session, 1995/96- . The State Library and Archives may have copies of bills back to 1955.

• Bill Indexes and Abstracts
  Tennessee Legislative Record. (most recent version online) Weekly.
  Final versions from 1995-2004 are available at TN General Assembly site. Select "Legislation" then "Archive."
  Print 1959-1961, 1967-current. J87.T2d Hodges Stacks

Lists all bills and resolutions in order by number. Includes primary sponsor(s), brief description, companion bill (if any), and the most recent action.

• Daily Service 2005-current

“an abbreviated account of all actions taken by the House and Senate and their committees on each day of session.”

• Unofficial Index to Legislation Introduced in the (no.) General Assembly (yr.)
  1961-1995. J87.T2d Hodges Stacks (Discontinued)

Published at the end of each session. It lists bills and resolutions by subject and provides sponsors, status, and a cross-index to public chapter number. Includes veto messages.

• Bill History/Subject Index [of legislation introduced]
  KFT15.A2 Periodicals/DocMic. 1992-1996. Microfiche (Discontinued)

An index of bills by subject, key word, or bill number. Gives sponsors, status and chapter numbers for bills passed into law.

• Calendars

Calendars are published weekly when the General Assembly is in session. They list meeting schedules for the upcoming week and include bills and subject matter. For information regarding committee agendas see:
House (select "House" then "calendars")
Senate (select "Senate" then "calendars")

• Standing Committees

For a list of Standing Committees, members and responsibilities, see:
House (select "House" then "committees")
Senate (select "Senate" then "committees")

• Committee Hearings

Testimony on the impact of a bill may be presented before a House or Senate Committee. Hearings may also be held in various locations across the state. Since 1974 committee hearings have been audiotaped. Contact the State Library and Archives, Legislative History Office at 615-741-1549 for availability.

• Committee Reports

Printed reports outlining the Committee's recommendations on the passage of a bill are seldom available. Contact the committee Chair for availability. Official copies may be filed with the State Library and Archives.

• Floor Debates

There may be discussion on the floor of the House or Senate regarding the passage of a bill but discussion more often occurs in committee sessions rather than on the floor. Audio recordings are made of the proceedings of the General Assembly. For tapes, 1955+ contact the State Library and Archives.

• House and Senate journals
  House House Journal [of the (no.) General Assembly]
  (Select House then House Journals)
  Senate Journal [of the (no.) General Assembly]
  Annual bound volumes. J87.T2 Stacks 1970-current
  Special Collections 1790-1899; Preservation 1900-1969; DocMic microfilm 1794-1842, 1855/56

The journals contain the texts of bills and resolutions as introduced, committee substitutions for original bills, rule changes, etc. The Journals do not provide a verbatim record of proceedings. Voting records are included.

• Laws (Public Chapters)
  Public Acts and Resolutions of the State of Tennessee
  Private Acts of the State of Tennessee
  Online from the 100th General Assembly (1997/98) to the current.
  Print KFT25.A2 Stacks, 1901- current; Special Collections, 1801-current; DocMic Microfilm, 1796-1849, 1903, 1931.

Published in annual compilations after the close of the session. Public acts are applicable to all jurisdictions. Private acts generally have local application only. Arranged chronologically by chapter number with a subject index in each volume.

• Codes
  Tennessee Code Annotated. Reference KFT30 1955.A2

Contains the official state statutes, fully annotated with court opinions and law reviews. It incorporates the new laws into a classified subject arrangement of existing laws in force. Online versions available from:
Michie's Legal Resources
LexisNexis Academic - Select “Legal Research ”

• Updates to the Code are provided through:

The Advance Legislative Service pamphlets also available in LexisNexis Academic, select “Legal Research ”
The Advance Code Service, which includes notes to court cases, Attorney General opinions and law review citations.

Step 4: Agency Rules and Regulations

• Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee. Tennessee Dept. of State.
  KFT35.A25 CD-ROM. Periodicals/DocMic.

Administrative rules and regulations of Tennessee agencies.

• Tennessee Administrative Register. 2000-current online. Monthly. Tennessee Dept. of State.
  Print KFT35.A2. Stacks 1975-2004
  Periodicals/DocMic CD-ROM 2004-

Contains administrative regulations and rules of state agencies.

Step 5: Gubernatorial Actions

• Vetoes

Veto messages from the Governor are contained in the House and Senate Journals. They may also appear in the Public Acts if a bill is passed by overriding a veto. Also attached to original bills filed at the State Library and Archives. Additional information may be obtained from the Governor's Homepage.

• Executive Orders. 1995-current online; 1984 (Alexander)
  Print copies in Periodicals/DocMic Tennessee Documents Pamphlet File

These are mandates issued by the governor to implement particular functions, guidelines, rules or procedures of the government. Directives establishing task forces and commissions are most common.

• State of the State Speeches. (Stateline.org) 2000-current online.

Addresses delivered at the beginning of each annual session of the legislature. Used by the governor to unveil budget and other priorities for the year.

• Messages of the Governors of Tennessee. 1796-1945
  J87.T216 Stacks

Step 6: Additional Information Sources

• Rules of Order. Tennessee General Assembly. Senate. Select from list of publications.

Includes committee areas of responsibility and a code of ethics for the Senate.

• Legislative Manual. Tennessee General Assembly. House. Select from list of publications.

Contains the rules of order and other useful information including: branches of Tennessee government, listings of legislative staff agencies, the Tennessee Constitution, House member state office phone directory, state office addresses, legislative definitions, and registered lobbyists.

• The Senate Chamber Book. Select Senate then publications.

An informational booklet including pictures, short biographies, state office phone numbers and state office addresses of the members of the Senate of the 104th General Assembly.

• The House Chamber Book. Select House then publications.

An informational booklet including pictures, short biographies, state office phone numbers and state office addresses of the members of the House of Representatives of the 104th General Assembly.

• The Constitution of the State of Tennessee. Select Senate then publications.

The state constitution was adopted in 1870 and has been amended eight times. The latest amendments were adopted in November 2006. The current constitution and earlier versions are included in a volume of the Tennessee Code Annotated. Reference KFT30 1955.A2

• Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

Select "Joint Committees", then "FWM Publications" Budget Summary and Fact Book.

• The Citizen's Guide to the Tennessee Budget (TACIR)


• Budget Publications from the Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration

Includes an explanation of the Budgetary Process.

• Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR)

"Serves as a forum for the discussion and resolution of intergovernmental problems". Select "publications".

• Audits and Reports

Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury performs financial, performance other program audits of state and local Government. Reports of investigations are also available.

• Tennessee Blue Book. Current online.
  Print 1936- JK5230.A3

Published every two years by the Office of the Secretary of State. Includes information on the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government, and some background history on the legislative process in Tennessee.

• Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation.
  Reference KF246 .U58 17th ed.

Step 7: Contact Information

• Elected Officials


• State Senate and House Committees - Select “House” or “Senate”, then “Committees”.



Contact the Legislator or Committee Chair responsible for the bill (if within three years of its introduction) to request background information and copies of related publications.

Step 8: Legislative Information at Tennessee Depository Libraries

• Legislative Library – Nashville.

The Tennessee General Assembly, Office of Legal Services.

• East Tennessee State University - Johnson City


• Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center - Memphis


• Tennessee State Library and Archives - Nashville


• The University of Memphis - Memphis


• University of Tennessee - Knoxville