Contact your state lawmakers
Sen. Todd Gardenhire District 10 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 11A, Legislative Plaza Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov Sen. Bo Watson District 11 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 13, Legislative Plaza Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Gerald McCormick District 26 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 18A, Legislative Plaza Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Patsy Hazlewood District 27 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite G-24, War Memorial Building Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov Rep. JoAnne Favors District 28 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 35, Legislative Plaza Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.joanne.favors@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Mike Carter District 29 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite3G, War Memorial Building Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.mike.carter@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Marc Gravitt District 30 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 107, War Memorial Building Nashville, Tn. 37243 Email: rep. marc.gravitt@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Dan Howell District 22 301 6th Ave. N., Suite 112, War Memorial Buiilding Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Kevin Brooks District 24 301 Sixth Ave. N., Suite 103, War Memorial Building Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Ron Travis District 31 301 6th Ave. N., Suite G-3 War Memorial Building Nashville, Tenn. 37243 Email: rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov
When governments create or authorize state and local agencies to create new programs, they typically require some measure of public disclosure as a form of public oversight and to make agencies accountable.
As far back as 1789, during the first American Congress, that accountability has come in the form of public notices in independently published newspapers. Actions of the Congress were ordered to be published in three separate newspapers to ensure wide circulation.
The concept eventually extended to commerce as a way to protect property interest, provide due process and consumer protection from certain business entities — foreclosures, bankruptcies or unclaimed property, to name a few.
City councils, county commissions, school boards and other public bodies are required to provide special notices of special meetings, for example, because those notices must list all items to be discussed. Public notices are required for public hearings on land zoning changes, proposed budgets and taxes, certain ordinances, annexations, and when the government plans to use its ultimate police power — the use of eminent domain to take private property.