NASHVILLE – Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to a controversial measure limiting cities’ ability to ban short-term house rentals.
The final legislation was the product of a conference committee that ironed out differences between House and Senate approaches to the volatile issue.
Senators approved the conference committee report on an 18-14 vote. The House OK’d it earlier Tuesday on a 67-23 vote.
It now goes to Gov. Bill Haslam, whose office says he will allow the bill to become law. It was heavily lobbied for several years by Airbnb, Homeaway and other online companies. Lined up against them were cities and hotels.
Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, had previously forced changes to the Senate bill, including one that eliminated a vested property right for owners of property that originally would have allowed owners to sell homes to other people or companies who could keep operating the homes for short-term rental.