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SB 2711

Bristol - Subject to local approval, revises election provisions for city council and the board of education to comply with changes to general election law; reduces the time after final passage for an ordinance to take effect from 17 days to seven days; changes the due dates for property taxes; creates a department of education. - Amends Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1991; as amended.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Bobby Harshbarger

Creates a City of Bristol Department of Education and aligns city elections (council and school board) with a unified, city‑wide voting system and seven‑day ordinance effectiveness

Companion House Bill substituted
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 2711

Summary of SB 2711 (Session 114, Tennessee) – Bristol Local Election and Education Reorganization

Note: This summary reflects the amendment modifying Bristol’s private act governing city elections, city administration, and the establishment of a Department of Education, as well as related changes to tax and ordinance effective dates.

Overall purpose and intent

  • To revise Bristol’s governing framework by:
    • Standardizing city election timing and procedures for the city council and the board of education.
    • Creating a Department of Education within the city government.
    • Adjusting effective dates for ordinances and related fiscal/tax provisions.
    • Aligning city operations with broader changes to general election law, subject to local approval.

Key provisions and changes

1) City elections for council and board of education

  • Rewrites Subsection 2-2(a) governing city elections:
    • Elections for the five-member city council are held on the first Tuesday in November in each even-numbered year, starting with the November 2022 election.
    • All qualified voters may vote for all seats, regardless of district residency.
    • District seats: three district seats elected by the voters in each respective district (district winners are those with the most votes within each district).
    • At-large seats: two seats elected by the city-wide vote (the two candidates with the most votes city-wide.)
    • Staggered terms: council members have 4-year terms; district and at-large seats are aligned to be elected concurrently to stagger terms.
    • Term start: January following the election, at the next regular city council meeting.
    • Eligibility: All qualified voters may vote for all seats (no residency restriction on voting for seats).
  • Rewrites Subsection 6-2(a) governing city board of education elections:
    • Board members are residents of and elected by the city’s qualified voters, with three district seats (one per district) and two at-large seats.
    • All qualified voters may nominate candidates regardless of district residence; voting for all seats is city-wide.
    • District seats: the candidate residing in each district with the most votes is elected for that district.
    • At-large seats: the two candidates with the most votes city-wide are elected.
    • Terms: four-year terms; terms begin January 1 after election.
    • Eligibility: All qualified voters may vote for all seats.

2) Ordinance effectiveness (timing)

  • Replaces the previous “seventeen days” post-final passage requirement with a seven-day requirement for an ordinance to take effect after final passage, subject to emergency provisions and later effective dates as determined by the council.

3) City ordinances – general content and timing

  • Ordinance enacting clause and standard effective-date language updated to reflect the seven-day rule (with flexibility for later dates as needed).

4) Tax collection and penalties

  • Updates Subsection 9-1(b) on tax collection:
    • The City Recorder collects taxes after assessment rolls. Unpaid taxes after January 31 of the following year accrue interest and a 5% penalty after March 31, with certain exemptions for P.S.C. (Public Service Commission) properties.
    • The city may extend collection periods by up to three months by ordinance and offer discounts for early payment (2% if paid by November 1; 1% if paid after November 1 but before December 1). Discounts do not apply when certain state tax-related exemptions apply.

5) Tax delinquency process and enforcement

  • Adds procedural language requiring the Recorder to prepare and deliver delinquent tax lists (between January 1 and March 1 of the second year after assessment) and require the City Attorney to initiate collection suit by March 15, following.

6) City government structure – Department of Education

  • Establishes the Department of Education under the city manager’s control.
  • Defines distribution of executive/administrative powers across departments (Finance, Police, Fire, and Department of Education).
  • The City Manager assigns duties and can allocate staff to multiple departments as needed.

7) Public school funding and administration

  • Adds explicit provisions to handle state, county, and federal funds for city schools; designates the city recorder as ex officio treasurer of the board of education.
  • Authorizes the board of education to set tuition for non-resident students and requires annual reports to the city manager on non-resident enrollment by classroom/grade.

8) Local approval requirement

  • The act becomes effective only upon approval by a two-thirds vote of Bristol’s legislative body, with the act’s effective date following certification.

Who/what is affected

  • City of Bristol, Tennessee:
    • City elections: council and board of education election timing and procedures.
    • City governance: creation of the Department of Education and reallocation of duties.
    • Ordinance timing: seven-day effective period post-final passage.
    • Tax administration: collection timelines, penalties, discounts, and delinquency processes.
    • Budgeting and school funding: treasurer role for school funds and handling of state/county/federal funds.
    • Tuition policies for non-resident students.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Election changes: take effect starting with the November 2022 election (as stated for the council seats); subsequent elections follow the new schedule.
  • Ordinance effectiveness: seven-day post-final-passage effective date (subject to emergency clauses and later effective dates).
  • Local approval: requires two-thirds legislative body approval in Bristol to become law.
  • Tax processes: changes to assessment, delinquency, penalties, and potential discounts, with specified deadlines (e.g., January 31, March 31, November 1/December 1 payment windows).
  • Department of Education creation: structurally integrated into city government, with the city recorder serving as ex officio treasurer for the school funds.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with the prior Bristol act provisions or extract specific fiscal impact estimates based on typical tax rates and school funding scenarios.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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