Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to recede from amendment and pass a bill that amends the governance structure of metropolitan and regional airports in Tennessee.

Highlights:

• Repeals the existing boards of commissioners of metropolitan airport authorities and replaces them with a new nine person board appointed as follows (Sec. 1):

• Two appointees of the speaker of the house of representatives;

• Two appointees of the speaker of the senate;

• Two appointees of the governor; and

• Three appointees of the executive officer of the creating municipality who must be approved by the municipality’s governing body.

• Prohibits those appointed to the board from having financial interest in an airport or its concessions, and from being an officer or employee of the creating municipality (Sec. 1).

• Specifies term lengths of commissioners based on their appointer (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the commissioners’ terms will always begin on July 1 and be terminated on June 30 (Sec. 1).

• Requires that members of the board are representative of the geographic and demographic composition of the state, and that at least one member is a female (Sec. 1).

• Requires commissioners to have generally good reputation and be in good standing in one of the following fields (Sec. 1):

• Engineering or architecture;

• Law; 

• Industry, business, or commerce;

• Public safety;

• Aviation; or

• Finance. 

• Specifies that commissioners do not receive a salary but shall be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties (Sec. 1).

• Repeals the existing boards of commissioners of regional airport authorities and replaces them with a new 12 person board appointed as follows (Sec. 2):

• Two appointees of the speaker of the house of representatives;

• Two appointees of the speaker of the senate;

• Three appointees of the governor;

• Two appointees of the executive officer of a participating county based on residence; and

• Three appointees of the executive officer of a participating municipality based on residence.

• Establishes the same qualifications for board members of a regional airport as those described in Section 1 for a board member of a municipal airport (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the rights and benefits - including retirement, pension, insurance, leave, and other fringe benefits - of an employee of an airport authority are not affected by this Act and are still enforceable (Sec 5).

• Specifies that the appointment of commissioners to the new airport authority boards shall take place immediately upon the passage of this Act, and the vacation and reconstitution of existing boards shall take effect July 1, 2026 (Sec. 7).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the governance structure of metropolitan and regional airports in Tennessee.

Highlights:

• Repeals the existing boards of commissioners of metropolitan airport authorities and replaces them with a new nine person board appointed as follows (Sec. 1):

• Two appointees of the speaker of the house of representatives;

• Two appointees of the speaker of the senate;

• Two appointees of the governor; and

• Three appointees of the executive officer of the creating municipality who must be approved by the municipality’s governing body.

• Prohibits those appointed to the board from having financial interest in an airport or its concessions, and from being an officer or employee of the creating municipality (Sec. 1).

• Specifies term lengths of commissioners based on their appointer (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the commissioners’ terms will always begin on July 1 and be terminated on June 30 (Sec. 1).

• Requires that members of the board are representative of the geographic and demographic composition of the state, and that at least one member is a female (Sec. 1).

• Requires commissioners to have generally good reputation and be in good standing in one of the following fields (Sec. 1):

• Engineering or architecture;

• Law; 

• Industry, business, or commerce;

• Public safety;

• Aviation; or

• Finance. 

• Specifies that commissioners do not receive a salary but shall be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties (Sec. 1).

• Repeals the existing boards of commissioners of regional airport authorities and replaces them with a new 12 person board appointed as follows (Sec. 2):

• Two appointees of the speaker of the house of representatives;

• Two appointees of the speaker of the senate;

• Three appointees of the governor;

• Two appointees of the executive officer of a participating county based on residence; and

• Three appointees of the executive officer of a participating municipality based on residence.

• Establishes the same qualifications for board members of a regional airport as those described in Section 1 for a board member of a municipal airport (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the rights and benefits - including retirement, pension, insurance, leave, and other fringe benefits - of an employee of an airport authority are not affected by this Act and are still enforceable (Sec 5).

• Specifies that the appointment of commissioners to the new airport authority boards shall take place immediately upon the passage of this Act, and the vacation and reconstitution of existing boards shall take effect July 1, 2026 (Sec. 7).

Full Bill Text