Fiscal Summary

Decrease State Expenditures - $9,800/FY21-22 and Subsequent Years/ Tennessee Historical Commission

Bill Summary

This bill vacates and reconstitutes the Tennessee historical commission effective July 1, 2021.

Under present law, the commission consists of the following, all of whom are voting members:

(1) The governor or the governor's designee;

(2) The state historian;

(3) The state archaeologist;

(4) The commissioner of environment and conservation or the commissioner's designee;

(5) The state librarian and archivist; and

(6) Twenty-four gubernatorial appointees.

Under this bill, the reconstituted commission will consist of 12 members, with the governor and the speaker of each chamber of the general assembly each appointing one member from each grand division of Tennessee and one member at-large. This bill removes the present law requirement concerning the academic credentials of certain appointees to the commission. This bill also removes present law that encourages the appointing authority to appoint members who are diverse in age and racial background.

This bill removes a provision of present law requirement that commission members who have been granted the title “member emeritus” by an action of the commission retain the same rights and privileges of other members, except the right to vote at meetings of the commission.

Present law designates the executive director of the Tennessee historical commission as keeper of the Tennessee register of historic places. Present law does not specifically require the commission to employ an executive director. This bill requires the commission to appoint a state historical director and designates that person as keeper of the Tennessee register of historic places.