Senate Bill 323, sponsored by Sen. Massey, would authorize the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission to enter naming agreements for state-owned TWRA infrastructure such as shooting ranges, hatcheries and education centers in exchange for compensation. The committee adopted a time-limit amendment and moved the bill to calendar.

Why it matters: TWRA and its supporters framed the bill as a tool to expand partnerships and draw private funding for facilities that serve hunters, anglers and outdoor recreation while preserving public oversight. The agency told senators the authority would apply to state-owned infrastructure it manages and that existing naming practices for wildlife management areas would remain unchanged.

During debate, Senator Pote asked for a limit on how long a paid naming arrangement could last. The committee adopted his amendment, which requires that any agreement providing naming rights in exchange for compensation have a term not to exceed 10 years. The committee then held a roll-call vote to adopt the amendment (9 ayes) and later voted 9-0 to calendar the bill as amended.

TWRA legislative director Blair Beatty explained that the agency already accepts private donations and that naming rights tied to a financial contribution would be structured up front with full transparency, including public notice and an open commission process. "If someone is getting naming rights in consideration of a donation they've made, limit it to 10 years," she said in committee discussion.

Legal counsel Sean McMinn read the amendment language aloud for the record. The amendment's text says that if the commission enters into an agreement to name real property, infrastructure or features in exchange for compensation, the term of the agreement must not exceed 10 years.

What's next: The bill as amended will proceed to calendar for further consideration in the Senate.

Ending detail: Sponsors said honorific, noncompensated naming (for example, naming a property for historic reasons) is not the bill's primary target; the statute is intended to cover naming tied to a contribution or partnership and the committee capped commercial-style naming at a 10-year term to ensure future public flexibility.