Senate Bill 7004 and House Bill 7003 propose significant amendments to Tennessee's congressional districting process, specifically by deleting the second sentence of Section 2-16-102 and entirely removing Section 2-16-103. These sections are replaced with new language that establishes criteria for congressional districts based on the 2020 federal decennial census. The new provisions require adherence to definitions set by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census, utilizing the TIGER system for geographic data. The bill mandates a structured description of each congressional district, organized alphabetically by county, and specifies how to delineate split counties using Voting Districts (VTDs) and census blocks.

The bill outlines the division of Tennessee into nine congressional districts, detailing the counties and specific voting districts included in each. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining population balance and contiguity among districts, allowing for contiguity by water and addressing noncontiguous areas by assigning them to the nearest district with the smallest population. The act aims to ensure clarity and consistency in the redistricting process, enhancing fair representation in Congress based on the latest census data. The changes are set to take effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting a proactive approach to improving electoral representation in the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2-16-102
Amended with HA7002 -- 05/07/2026: 2-16-102, 2-16-103