Tenn. Code Ann. § 5-12-105 (2026)

• (a) There is hereby created a fiscal year for the counties and for each office, department, institution, activity and agency thereof, which fiscal year shall begin on July 1 of each year and shall end on June 30 next following.

• (b) The fiscal year shall constitute the budget year, and the year for accounting and reporting of each and every fund, office, department, institution, activity and agency of the county government; but this subsection (b) shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any accounting and reporting now required of any official by general law.

• (c) If the county legislative body adopts a timeline and budgetary procedures for the county, then the estimates and budget proposals provided for in § 5-12-106 shall be filed in accordance with that timeline; provided, however, the timeline for the budget of the local education agency (LEA) shall be established by the county legislative body with the concurrence of the county board of education.

• (d) In the absence of a locally adopted schedule and procedures pursuant to subsection (c), the budgetary procedures for the county shall follow the following timeline:
  • (1) No later than February 1, the director of accounts and budgets shall deliver forms for all budget requests to all departments, commissions, institutions, boards, offices, and agencies;
  • (2) No later than March 1, all departments, commissions, institutions, boards, offices, and agencies except the local board of education shall deliver the appropriate estimates and budget request to the director of accounts and budgets;
  • (3)
    • (A) No later than April 1, the county budget committee shall vote upon the proposed budget and the director of accounts and budgets shall notify the department, commission, institution, board, office, or agency whether the county budget committee approves or rejects the proposed budget;
    • (B) If approved, the director of accounts and budgets shall immediately forward the proposed budget to the county legislative body for consideration; or
    • (C) If rejected, the department, commission, institution, board, office, or agency shall submit a revised budget proposal to the director of accounts and budgets within ten (10) business days after receipt of notice that the budget proposal was rejected.
  • (4) No later than May 1, each LEA shall submit a proposed budget to the director of accounts and budgets; provided that, the LEA may amend the proposed budget after May 1;
  • (5)
    • (A) No later than June 1, the county budget committee shall vote upon the proposed budget and the director of accounts and budgets shall notify the LEA whether the county budget committee approves or rejects the LEA's proposed budget;
    • (B) If approved, the director of accounts and budgets shall immediately forward the proposed budget to the county legislative body for consideration; or
    • (C) If rejected, the LEA shall submit a revised budget proposal to the director of accounts and budgets within ten (10) business days after receipt of notice that the budget proposal was rejected;
  • (6) If the county budget committee of the local governing body rejects the first and second budget proposals from any department, commission, institution, board, office, or agency, then the third and any subsequent proposals shall be delivered directly to the county legislative body which shall approve or reject the proposal within ten (10) business days of the body's receipt of the amended proposal; and
  • (7) If rejected, the department, commission, institution, board, office, or agency shall submit a revised budget proposal to the county legislative body within ten (10) business days after receipt of notice that the budget proposal was rejected.

• (e) The timeline and budgetary process pursuant to this section may be waived or altered, if agreed upon by the county legislative body and the respective department, commission, institution, board, office, or agency.

Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1080,s 4, eff. 1/1/2017.

Acts 1957, ch. 291, § 5; T.C.A., § 5-1205.