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HB 125

Parks, Natural Areas Preservation - As enacted, requires a county or municipal government that receives a grant from the local parks land acquisition fund for a project located within a county designated as distressed or at-risk by the Appalachian Regional Commission at the time of the grant application to match the grant with an amount of money equal to 25 percent of the project, instead of requiring a match with an amount of money equal to the grant. - Amends TCA Section 67-4-409.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by William Lamberth

Tennessee reduces parks grant matching requirements from 100% to 25% for economically distressed Appalachian counties, expanding access to conservation funding for struggling areas.

Pub. Ch. 336
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Bill Summary · HB 125

Legislative bill overview

HB 125 reduces the local matching requirement for parks and natural areas grants in economically distressed Appalachian counties from 100% to 25% of the project cost. This applies to grants from the local parks land acquisition fund, making it easier for struggling counties to access state funding for conservation projects.

Why is this important

Distressed and at-risk counties often lack the financial capacity to match large grant requirements, effectively locking them out of state funding despite their designation as economically vulnerable. This change lowers the financial barrier, potentially enabling more parks and conservation projects in regions with fewer resources while still requiring some local investment.

Potential points of contention

  • Fairness concerns: Non-distressed counties must still provide 100% matching funds, creating a two-tiered system that some may view as unequal treatment or subsidy
  • Fiscal impact: Reduces required local investment statewide, meaning the state fund absorbs more project costs, which could limit the total number of projects funded or strain the acquisition fund
  • Implementation questions: The bill uses ARC designation status at time of application; counties gaining or losing distressed status mid-project could face complications

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

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