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HB 1890

General Assembly - As introduced, requires a state governmental entity to disclose records and information to a member of the general assembly to enable the member to determine whether the laws of this state are being complied with and to determine whether the laws of this state need to be changed in accordance with certain procedures. - Amends TCA Title 3; Title 4 and Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Caleb Hemmer

Requires state agencies to disclose records to individual legislators for oversight and lawmaking purposes, raising questions about scope, confidentiality protections, and administrative burden.

Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 1890

Legislative bill overview

HB 1890 requires Tennessee state governmental entities to disclose records and information to individual state legislators upon request, enabling them to assess legal compliance and identify needed legislative changes. The bill establishes specific procedures for these disclosure requests and amends multiple sections of Tennessee's statutory code governing public records and governmental operations.

Why is this important

Legislators need access to government data to perform their constitutional oversight function and craft informed legislation. However, the bill's scope and procedures will significantly impact how state agencies manage records requests, potentially affecting both legislative efficiency and agency operations, while raising questions about confidentiality protections and resource burdens on state departments.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of "records and information": The bill's definition may be overly broad, potentially requiring disclosure of confidential documents (attorney-client communications, personnel records, proprietary business information) without clear exemptions, creating conflicts with existing public records law
  • Individual legislator access vs. committee oversight: Allowing any single legislator to demand documents without committee process oversight could enable fishing expeditions or partisan investigations, unlike traditional legislative subpoena procedures that involve institutional accountability
  • Agency resource burden: Undefined disclosure timelines and procedures may impose significant costs on state agencies to compile and produce records, diverting resources from core government functions

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

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