Senate Bill 1958 aims to clarify and reinforce Tennessee's sovereign immunity in relation to causes of action against governmental actions. The bill deletes Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 1-3-121 entirely and amends Section 49-7-191(f) to allow individuals who believe a violation has occurred to seek relief under a specified section. Additionally, the bill introduces a new section in Title 1, Chapter 3, establishing that a cause of action exists for individuals seeking declaratory or injunctive relief regarding the legality or constitutionality of actions taken by political subdivisions of the state, while explicitly stating that this does not allow for damages or challenges to state statutes.

Furthermore, the new section emphasizes that it does not waive the sovereign immunity of the state, its entities, or officials, thereby maintaining the state's legal protections. The definition of "political subdivision" is provided to include various local governmental entities. The bill also includes a severability clause, ensuring that if any part of the act is found invalid, the remaining provisions will still be effective. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 1-3-121, 49-7-191(f), 49-7-191